HEREFORD youngsters went top of the under-18 Midland Floodlit League with a dominant 3-0 victory over Stourport.

Playing at Hinton the Hereford hosts took the lead when a through ball by Charlie Corten found top goalscorer Harley Morris who delicately dinked over the advancing goalkeeper.

Just before half-time Max Coley made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Marcus Campbell was pushed in the back.

After the break the Herefordshire based side adapted a new formation and soon made it 3-0 when a ball from goalkeeper Iwan Hooper was flicked on by Freddie Fox for Morris and despite his effort being saved Ollie Guinane was on hand to net to finish the tie 3-0.

Meanwhile, the Cheltenham Town under-21 Hereford Development side have also had a good start to life in the Midland Football League under-21 West.

They finished before lockdown with a 4-3 victory over Kidderminster Harriers 3.

A horrible, windy and rainy morning got off to a unfortunate start when Harriers capitalised on a ball across the back to take an early lead.

The Hereford side fired back when a Max Coley corner was headed home by Bisensio Kamillo to equalise.

The new shape of the development side mirrored the first team's philosophy and looked good.

The Cheltenham Development side started the brightest in the second half and when another Coley set piece corner was flicked on by Luke Burrows for skipper Corten, he controlled and fired a left footed shot into the roof of the net.

Unfortunately Kiddy responded immediately when a cross from the left hand side saw their striker get across Robbie Gore and tap home from close range. Kidderminster were reduced to 10 men shortly after when an off-the-ball incident saw their player kick out at Coley, leaving the referee no choice but to send him off. The Hereford side were patient in their build up which eventually resulted in Marcus Campbell being pushed in the back inside the area and Coley dispatched the resulting penalty for a 2-3 lead.

Soon after Kamillo laid a neat ball off to Burrows who struck a superb 20 yard drive across the keeper into the far corner to make it 4-2.

Kidderminster did grab a late goal after Corten slipped but Cheltenham held on for a deserved win in difficult conditions.

Afterwards manager Andy Bevan said “I'm delighted with the way this young squad have coped with the challenges, playing in the very competitive Midland League step-five under-21’s has been a great learning experience for the boys.

"Some 90% of the 18/21-man squad are 16 or 17 years old and all the same lads that played for us last year at Hereford.

"We have seen five lads move on to play in step five or six men’s football, whilst only last week some trained the whole week with our academy scholars, which was terrific for them.

"Whilst results aren’t important for the staff, they are for the boys as our under-21’s are midway in their league having played nine Saturdays in a row against some seriously strong teams.

"Whilst our under-18’s currently sit top of their league. It’s a shame we are having a lockdown, that said we have been flat out since we returned on August 1, with double sessions and matches continuously right up to last night, so it’s been hectic but great fun.”