IT’S TOP versus bottom in Division One of the West Midlands (Regional) League this Saturday when Dave Cooper’s unbeaten AFC Ludlow host basement strugglers Bartestree.?Ludlow made it five wins from six games with a 2-1 home victory over Wednesfield last weekend, at the same time as Bartestree were securing only their second point of the season with a 2-2 draw with Wyrley.?But Cooper is guarding against complacency and expects Bartestree to be tough opponents, especially as their last match at Ludlow was that controversial 7-1 cup semi-final defeat back in April when they had four players sent off.?Cooper said: “We will take nothing for granted. On paper Bartestree are better than their early results and I am sure they will still be smarting from their cup defeat at Ludlow at the end of last season.”?Ludlow started sluggishly against Wednesfield and trailed to a 25-yard free-kick that went in off a post on 25 minutes. ?But they were behind for less than five minutes, with the influential Jamie Hammonds levelling with another long-range free-kick into the bottom corner.

Ludlow then got on top and they won it when lively substitute Ryan Lewis robbed a defender and saw his effort helped in by the Wednesfield goalkeeper.?Once again Ludlow’s back four were “immense” according to Cooper, with Luke Hicks a tower of strength.