SKIPPER Jack Beaumont believes AFC Ludlow’s class of 2015 is the club’s best-ever squad.

And the cultured right-back is confident that Ludlow, chasing their third promotion in four years under Dave Cooper, can sustain a start that has seen them win six of their first seven West Midlands (Regional) League Division One matches.

Goals at either end of the game saw basement boys Bartestree beaten 2-0 last Saturday and Beaumont said: “We have a decent mix of youth and experience, and good footballers, and I think this squad is the best I’ve played in.

“Getting Aaron and Dale Hodge back has been a boost, we are playing some good football and there is a great atmosphere about the place.

“We need to be more lethal and kill sides off as we have let a couple off lightly but I see no reason why we can’t continue this run.”

Keanu Cooper raced onto Beaumont’s long ball to set up Ryan Lewis to slot Ludlow into a second-minute lead, and they made hard work of finishing off a Bartestree side reduced to ten men when Darren Andrews, one of the four players dismissed in the 7-1 cup debacle in April, again saw red. Cooper’s cross was deflected home by visiting defender Dale Lewis with almost the last kick.

Between the goals Ludlow had substantially more of the ball, but their lively approach lacked a telling final ball. When they did manage to open Bartestree up, Cooper was denied by the woodwork and goalkeeper John Hopkins made top-class stops from substitute Danny Gower and Jamie Smith.