Paul Ledbury Memorial Match Report for 02/08/14: YOUNGSTERS TRIUMPH IN SECOND TRIBUTE MATCH TO PAUL Ledbury Town 5, Paul’s Players 3 LEDBURY TOWN: 1 - Elliot Watts 2 - Carl Wildig 3 - Marc Wildig 4 - Pat Locke 5 - Nicky Welch 6 - Martin Loveridge 7 - Dave Butcher 8 - Dave Preece 9 - Adam McTear 10 - Charlie Jones 11 - Gavin Walton 12 - Mitch Preedy 13 - Nick Bolton 14 - Ryan Jones 15 - Baden Widdows PAUL’S PLAYERS: 1 - Mark Taylor 2 - Pete Brown 3 - Dave Brockelsby 4 - Mick Clack 5 - Steve Powell 6 - Ashley Jones 7 - Duncan Preedy 8 - Jason Gale 9 - Robbie Colwell 10 - Chris Powell 11 - Ray Gladwin 12 - Stevie Ledbury 13 - Ben Ledbury 14 - Dave Morris 15 - Chris Stone 16 - Andy Lancett 17 - Marc Preedy 18 - Darren Bullock 19 - Allen Moss REFEREE: Josh Brookland ASSISTANT REFEREES: Hughie Boswell and Tom Watkins Ledbury Town Football Club hosted a second testimonial match recently in honour of prolific sportsman Paul Ledbury, who sadly passed away near the start of last year at the age of just 51. Paul was an avid and varied sportsman on the Ledbury and district scene for many years, playing football for Ledbury, Pegasus, Worcester City and the Three Nuns, as well as playing cricket for Ledbury, Eastnor and Bosbury. He was also a top skittles player, playing for the all-conquering F-Troop side, was a regular pool and crib player at the White Hart pub in Ledbury, and was also a keen golfer and fly fisherman. To celebrate the life of a local figure with such an illustrious sporting history, an initial charity match was held last summer, with the Ledbury Town side at the time playing against a team made up of players who Paul played football with during the 1980s and 1990s, such as Steve Powell, Sam Skyers, Mick Clack, Dave Farrell, Mark Herbert, and the prolific Mark Williams. In the space of just four years, this seemingly unstoppable squad scored a record of 345 goals between them. The final score between Ledbury Town and ‘Paul’s Players’ at the end of this inaugural match was a very fitting three goals apiece, with both teams sharing the new Paul Ledbury Memorial Trophy. Due to the success of this first charity match, Paul’s friends and family were very keen for this fixture to become an annual event, and so new Ledbury Town Reserves and former first team manager Phil Preedy, who originally came up with the idea of holding this special event last year, arranged for another match to be played at the club before the start of the new 2014/15 football season. Despite another noble effort from the more experienced players of Paul’s side, their younger counterparts, largely made up of Ledbury Town Reserves players, were victorious on this occasion as they scored a 5-3 win during an enjoyable 70 minute encounter watched by a sizeable crowd of Paul’s family and friends on a glorious Sunday afternoon at New Street. Paul’s Players were the first to strike after just four minutes of play when the ball was put over the crossbar, before Nicky Welch found the first goal for the Ledbury squad three minutes later. Veteran goalkeeper Mark Taylor was then able to deny Adam McTear a chance at the target 14 minutes in, and although the ball deflected off Taylor’s hands to remain in play, there was no-one present from the Town squad in the box to perform the finish. Some good defending from Welch on the 19th minute then foiled an advance from Pete Brown near the goal-line, before Duncan Preedy and Robbie Colwell, a formidable combination upfront back when Ledbury’s first team were high-flyers in the West Midlands League Premier Division around ten years ago, suddenly put their side well and truly in the driving seat by grabbing a goal each in the space of just five minutes of play. A strike from young Charlie Jones, who made an extremely promising start in the Ledbury squad last season then flew wide of the post, before prolific 17-year-old Town keeper Elliot Watts, recipient of last season’s first team young player award, saved a threatening shot from Colwell on the half hour mark. A shot from Welch was again deflected by Taylor three minutes after the interval, with first team clubman award winner of last season Martin Loveridge being unable to find his side’s equalizer on the follow-up, before McTear struck the ball wide of the target. Gavin Walton did well to force the ball off for a corner after putting pressure on an incoming Preedy on the 44th minute, before the corner ball taken by Preedy was well-held by Watts. McTear missed another great opportunity a minute later through again knocking the ball wide, although the regular Town reserves player finally got himself on the scoresheet on the 47th minute when he managed to take the ball round Taylor and fire it home to put the two sides back on a level pegging with just over twenty minutes of play remaining. Former first team manager Chris Powell then made the decision to defect to the younger squad, managing to swiftly put them a goal ahead of their more seasoned counterparts for the first time on the 55th minute, before Walton produced what was undoubtedly the goal of the afternoon five minutes later by spectacularly lobbing Taylor from 40 yards out. The veterans gained a goal back shortly afterwards, before a fifth goal for the Ledbury team from new young Town player of last season Nick Bolton extended their lead once more. Defender Marc Wildig managed to foil the efforts of Preedy on the 65th minute after the Ledbury stalwart managed to take the ball round several defenders, and, with the more discerning spectators probably noticing by this point that there were considerably more than the standard twenty-two players present on the pitch, a quick-thinking Pat Locke was able to just about clear the ball off the line for the younger side. The forwards of the veteran side were then unable to connect with a final great ball into the box from Mark Ledbury as the more youthful squad celebrated a superb comeback against their more experienced rivals. Ledbury captain for the day Loveridge stepped up to claim the Paul Ledbury Memorial Trophy from event organizer Phil Preedy, while the ever-industrious Mick Clack of Paul’s Players was awarded the new man of the match trophy. Paul’s family would like to thank everyone who attended this second testimonial game in memory of a fondly-remembered and influential figure on the local sporting scene, with special thanks in particular going to Phil Preedy for organizing another highly enjoyable event, and also to Joe Gladwin, Sharon Gladwin and Chris Powell for all their help in making the event such a success. Paul’s Players will no doubt be looking to avenge their defeat next year! The photos below from the second testimonial match in memory of Paul Ledbury played at Ledbury Town Football Club on 02/08/14 show the scene at the centre spot just before kick-off, Nicky Welch firing in the Ledbury side’s first goal on the 8th minute of play, Ledbury reserves player Dave Preece challenging veteran player Duncan Preedy for the ball in midfield, Preedy aiming to keep possession away from new young Ledbury player of last season Charlie Jones again in midfield, veteran player Dave Morris slipping a cross past regular reserves forward Gav Walton into the box, prolific Ledbury veteran player Robbie Colwell making a run towards the box whilst being pursued by Ledbury players David Butcher and Pat Locke, the scenes from both dugouts during the interval, former Ledbury captain Ashley Jones slipping the ball past Preece on the centre-line near the start of the second period of play, first team recipient of Ledbury’s clubman award last season Martin Loveridge trying to shield the ball from Jones upfield, Walton putting pressure on Preedy as they both race towards the box on the 44th minute, which resulted in the ball being forced off for a corner, veteran player Andy Lancett taking a shot from the edge of the box, Morris putting pressure on Walton in midfield, Jones, Lancett, Walton and Colwell all looking to connect with the header from a corner ball from the veteran side towards the end of the game, Ledbury captain for the day Loveridge receiving the Paul Ledbury Memorial Trophy from event organizer Phil Preedy following his side’s victory, a team photograph at the end of the game featuring all who participated in the event, the draw prizes for the day on display, the Paul Ledbury Memorial Trophy itself, and the new man of the match award which was won by Michael Clack of Paul’s Players. There are actually more photos then the five shown below - simply click on any of the thumbnails, then use the side arrows to scroll through and find the other fourteen pictures! :-)
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:00:19 +0000
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