Lads Club Juniors U13 Secure 2-0 Win Over Ludlow Town FC U13 Lions
⚽ Result
Lads Club Juniors U13 2
Ludlow Town FC U13 Lions 0
🏆 Competition
Herefordshire Junior Football League Sponsored by Apprenticeships with HWGTA HWGTA U13
Home league match
📅 When
Sunday, 04 October 2026
📍 Venue
Widemarsh Common #1 (Home)
On Sunday 4th October 2026, Lads Club Juniors U13 hosted Ludlow Town FC U13 Lions at Widemarsh Common in a 9-a-side league fixture that kicked off promptly at 12:00pm. The home side emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline after a competitive 60-minute encounter, pleasing the 44-strong crowd with a disciplined and effective display.
Lads Club Juniors lined up in a 3-4-1 formation, deploying three defenders at the back, four midfielders across the middle, and a lone striker leading the line. Lucas Price took his place in goal, protected by Louis Howells at right defender, Archie Rigby centrally, and Rupert Bruton on the left. The midfield quartet consisted of Finn Jones on the right, Zayn Prosser and Riley Smith occupying the central midfield roles, and Chase Bracegirdle on the left. Will Horley was positioned as the sole striker, expected to spearhead attacks and convert chances. The substitutes available were Oscar Jones, Flyn Watkins, and Charlie Arnold.
From the outset, Archie Rigby demonstrated his defensive solidity with a crucial clearance in the 4th minute, setting the tone for Lads Club’s backline. Early attempts to break the deadlock came from the wide areas, with Chase Bracegirdle testing the opposition goalkeeper’s reflexes in the 6th , but his effort was well saved. Will Horley was caught offside in the 7th minute, a testament to Ludlow Town’s alert defending. In the 8th Finn was brought down in the box, the ref pointing to the penalty spot without hesitation. Chase stepped forward to take it after the success of his last penalty kick but the keeper again denied Chase a goal.
The defensive resilience continued as Rupert Bruton cleared danger in the 9th minute, shortly after Zayn Prosser provided a clever flicked key pass, hinting at the creative potential in midfield. Riley Smith’s attempt at goal was thwarted by the keeper in the 12th minute, but Louis Howells was quick to clear a promising Ludlow chance moments later, preventing any early pressure on Lucas Price’s goal.
A flurry of substitutions came in the 15th minute, with Oscar Jones replacing Chase Bracegirdle, Flyn Watkins coming on for Finn Jones, and Charlie Arnold entering for Riley Smith. This fresh injection of energy coincided with a vital moment in the match as Lucas Price produced a remarkable point-blank reaction save in the 16th minute to keep the clean sheet intact.
Lucas Price then initiated an attacking move with a precise long pass in the 19th minute, which led to a couple of attempts from Rupert Bruton and Will Horley, though neither were able to find the target. Louis Howells continued to impress defensively, blocking an effort in the 22nd minute, while Rupert Bruton’s shot was saved in the 24th minute.
The breakthrough arrived in the 25th minute when Charlie Arnold charged down the keeper and was rewarded when the deflection bounced back into the Ludlow goal giving Lads Club Juniors the lead. Arnold remained a constant threat, forcing saves in the 29th and 48th minutes and narrowly missing the target in the 30th.
Just five minutes after his goal the keeper parried his longbow range shot across goal leaving Oscar Jones an open net to double the advantage with a close-range tap-in that gave the home side a comfortable cushion going into half-time. At the interval, Zayn Prosser was replaced by Riley Smith, signalling tactical adjustments from the home bench.
The second half saw continued pressure from Lads Club Juniors, with Oscar Jones being brought down by the keeper as he shot in the 36th minute. Riley stepped up to take the free kick on the edge of the box but the keeper was able to save the precise shot. Louis Howells remained a defensive stalwart, clearing danger in the 40th minute, while Riley Smith’s persistent efforts were again denied in the 41st minute.
Further substitutions followed with Finn Jones returning for Will Horley in the 41st minute, Chase Bracegirdle coming back on for Oscar Jones in the 44th, and Zayn Prosser replacing Flyn Watkins just before the hour mark. Despite these changes, the team maintained their shape and composure.
Will Horley was reintroduced in the 53rd minute, replacing Charlie Arnold, who had been influential throughout the match and was later named among the players of the match alongside Archie Rigby and Will Horley himself. Will Horley was caught offside in the 56th minute, a sign of his eagerness to find the net again.
Zayn Prosser delivered a precise slide rule pass in the 57th minute, creating another opportunity, while the final stages saw attempts from Will Horley and Chase Bracegirdle in the 61st minute, with the latter’s shot saved and Will Horley’s effort going wide. Rupert Bruton also contributed a key pass at this late stage, highlighting the team’s attacking intent until the final whistle.
Lads Club Juniors U13’s 3-4-1 formation proved effective both defensively and offensively, with the defenders and midfielders working tirelessly to stifle Ludlow Town’s advances and support the attack. The substitutions injected fresh legs and maintained the team’s momentum, ultimately securing a well-deserved 2-0 victory on home soil.
