A LACK of player availability hampered Brimfield as they slipped to a heavy defeat in their Herefordshire Football League Division One clash with Wellington Colts.

The visitors won the mid-table affair 6-0 with all the goals coming in the first half.

But Brimfield manager Duncan Morris said he was only able to field 11 players, with no substitutes named and no regular strikers on the pitch.

“I’m struggling every week with players,” said Morris.

“It’s difficult to field a side.”

He said he played a 16-year-old, something he wouldn’t ordinarily do.

Morris was, however, buoyed by the second half display.

“We had some chances from midfield but that was about it,” he said.

“I played a 4-5-1 formation in the first half and 4-4-2 the second half.

“We played better after the break but I think Wellington took their foot off the gas.”

Brimfield are seventh in the ten team league, eight points above bottom of the table Bartestree Reserves.

They travel to top of the table Bromyard this Saturday.

It was a different story in Division Three, though, as Orleton Colts Reserves thumped bottom of the table Weston 8-0.

Liam Watton fired in five goals for the home side with Ben Apperley grabbing a hat-trick in the convincing win.

“It could have been more,” said Orleton manager, Chris Albert.

“We missed quite a few chances. I had a major reshuffle as some of our players had become complacent, and we found ourselves 5-0 up at half time.”

Orleton sit third ahead of Saturday’s home match with Ledbury Colts.

In the Mercian League Premier Division, tenth placed Church Stretton were felled 5-3 by Wroxeter Rovers.

John Barber fired Stretton ahead before the home side came back strongly to lead 3-1 at the break.

But Ross Ramute and a Matty Jones penalty brought Stretton back on level terms before defensive mistakes saw the visitors concede two late goals.

Stretton manager Paul Smith said: “You’ve got to expect to win a game if you score three goals.

“The commitment from our fringe players has been woeful.

“We were in mid-table obscurity and I think the lads were cantering along, but we could get dragged into a relegation battle.”

This Saturday, Church Stretton face Childs Ercall.

“They are the best team we’ve played this season,” said Smith.

“We’ve played them twice and they look very good and quite sharp so it will be a very difficult game.” In Division One, Clee Hill United went down 4-2 at AFC Wellington, but Brown Clee beat Wrockwardine Wood 2-0.