Under 18s 3 v 4 Ludlow Town

The Under 18s' penalty appeals fall on deaf ears
The Under 18s' penalty appeals fall on deaf ears

Presteigne’s Under 18s surrendered a 3-1 half-time lead to eventually lose 4-3 in their HFA Floodlit Youth League match against Ludlow Town at Llanandras Park on Monday 12 October.

Presteigne again got a dream start – on seven minutes, Callum Matthews fired home from close range following a Danny Ives knock down from a free kick on the left and then, within 60 seconds, Josh Watson fired home a fierce cross-shot to make it 2-0.

Ludlow pulled a goal back midway through the first period, but Callum then restored the two-goal lead.  He could have made it 4-1 before the interval when put clean through, but he beat the goalkeeper only to see his shot come back off the post.

To be fair, Ludlow also hit a post in the first half and this was a sign of things to come in the second period as, 10 minutes after the break, the visitors pulled a goal back and then went on to equalise shortly afterwards.

The comeback was complete when, from one of a number of needless free-kicks conceded by Presteigne, the defence stood around like statues allowing the visiting centre-forward to nip in and beat Jordan Pritchard with a free header, although the defenders might claim Jordan should have come and claimed the ball himself.

Presteigne had good shouts for a penalty waved away when the home-team players claimed a Ludlow defender had tipped a shot over the bar and, despite enjoying some good late pressure, the home side could not find a way through.

The manner of the defeat was disappointing and there will be those who will reflect that had Callum’s shot that hit the post gone in then it would have been ‘game over’ by half-time, but this would be a disservice to a Ludlow side that rolled up its sleeves and got stuck in during that second half.

The Under 18s have plenty to ponder before they head to Hinton for their next match on Wednesday 21 October – most of all, perhaps, they need to look at not conceding needless free kicks in dangerous areas.

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