IT WAS seven-up Saturday at the Showtime Security Stadium as AFC Ludlow breezed into the final of the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One Cup.

They romped to a 7-1 win over a beleaguered Bartestree side who finished a bizarre game with only seven players on the pitch - after having four men sent off.

The Hereford-based outfit had two dismissed in each half and it turned an eagerly-awaited encounter into something that resembled a glorified training session in the second period.

Ludlow boss Dave Cooper admitted: “We are obviously delighted to be in the final, but Bartestree’s lack of discipline turned the game into a mismatch. It became too easy, we lost our shape and it was farcical at times.

“There were some naughty tackles flying in and we were worried they might try and get a fifth player sent off to have the game abandoned. Some of their players actually thought that was the case when they had been reduced to seven.

“But I felt we were on top, even after conceding a sloppy goal, before the first sending-off. Ian Havard didn’t have a save to make in the first half, and only two in the second half from the halfway line.”

Liam Taylor gave Ludlow the perfect start by hooking home on eight minutes, and although a defensive mix-up gifted ex-Hereford United man Mark Hibbard a simple 19th minute tap-in, Ludlow were 3-1 up at the break after a sublime free-kick from the impressive Kieron Dovey and a deftly placed header from Marian Jusko.

Tipton referee Ritchie Massey had sent off Darren Andrews on 21 minutes for kicking out and Mark Langford on 31 for a second yellow card after a reckless late tackle. When Dovey tapped in a fourth three minutes after the restart after Nathan Hodge's shot was parried, and Hibbard was dismissed for some industrial language, the floodgates looked set to open.

Instead Ludlow struggled to maximise their numerical advantage in the final third, and even though Bartestree had Dean Corbett red-carded in the 64th minute after a series of crude challenges, it wasn’t until the last ten minutes that the home side made it tell.

Substitute Ashley Morris volleyed in an eye-catching fifth, the inventive Keanu Cooper set up Jusko for number six and Cooper himself completed the rout.

“We are in the final and that’s the most important thing,” said boss Cooper. “That has been our goal in recent weeks and we have now achieved it.”

Team Dudley beat Stone Old Alleynians 7-6 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the other semi and Ludlow will now meet Dudley in the final at Wolverhampton Casuals on Tuesday, May 12, kick-off 7.45pm.

The league originally stated that the final would be at Villa Park, home to Premier League outfit Aston Villa.

Ludlow’s final league game saw them beaten 4-3 at Bustleholme last Wednesday. Boss Cooper, who was due to play in goal, hurt his knee in the warm-up and injured defender Luke Hicks had to take over the jersey.

He conceded a goal in just 38 seconds and a topsy-turvy game ended with a limping Hicks, having come out of goal, having a goalbound header tipped around the post in the dying seconds. Jusko (2) and Keanu Cooper netted the Ludlow goals.

Ludlow have a friendly with Clee Hill United at the Showtime Security Stadium tonight, kick-off 7pm.