AFC Ludlow's title ambitions suffer a set back

By Lewis Deakin

AFC LUDLOW’s West Midlands League Division Two title ambitions have suffered a set back as they drew 2-2 against Wolverhampton Sporting Community Reserves.

Dale Hodge got on the end of a Luke Hicks’ free-kick to open the scoring after 15 minutes, before Simeon Townsend equalized.

After the break boss Dave Cooper’s son Keanu put AFC Ludlow back in front as he slotted the ball home from 20-yards out.

But Reserves pulled level 10 minutes from time, as another long throw found Conor Price, who made no mistake to snatch a point for Wolverhampton.

Cooper insists his men will dust themselves off and go again ahead of their trip to division pace-setters Team Dudley next Wednesday.

He said: “We have gone top and on goal difference we are 10-goals in front of Dudley. But we need to beat them, and then hope they don’t beat Wolverhampton by more than 10-goals in their final game of the season.

“Team Dudley can win the championship if they beat Wolverhampton. But I believe the championship race is going to go right down to the wire.

“We had enough chances to win the game. Everyone in the dressing room was disappointed, it was a frustrating night.”

The manager revealed if the kick-off had been delayed by 45 minutes – he would have had goalkeeper Ian Havard in his starting 11.

Cooper, who had to play in goal revealed he wanted the match to be moved to Saturday.

He said: “If the kick-off had been 45 minutes later – I would have had my goalkeeper.

“We wanted to play them on Saturday. But their manager said we couldn’t do that because their changing rooms are in use.”

Goal-scorer Hodge insists his team-mates must up their game ahead of the trip to Dudley.

He said: “We should have been out of sight. We missed chance after chance. We can’t do that against Dudley – Otherwise they will put us to bed.

“I think a few of us need to look at ourselves after that match, because we missed easy chances. It was a frustrating result. Our defending wasn’t good enough for both goals.

“Despite the result The Division Two title race is still up for grabs. We can still end the season as champions.”

Wolverhampton played five first-team players in their starting 11, but Hodge didn’t think much of their men.

He said: “They started off with four first-team players then they bumped it up to five. But if that is their first-team then I feel sorry for them.”

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