ALL-CONQUERING AFC Ludlow have become the team to beat in Division One of the West Midlands (Regional) League.

Dave Cooper’s swashbucklers made it seven wins and a draw from their opening eight games when they whipped Penncroft 5-0.

The table-toppers are now the leading scorers in the division with 23 goals - and no other side has conceded fewer than their six goals.

Boss Cooper said: “We dominated and could have scored more. We aren’t worried about anyone now and the only problem I have is keeping everyone happy. We have such a good squad.”

Kieran Dovey was the star of the show and he waltzed past a handful of opposition players to fire Ludlow into a ninth-minute lead.

Luke Hicks powered home a header to make it 2-0 and Ludlow continued to call the tune in the second half.

Aaron Hodge had a long-range effort disallowed when the referee pulled play back, but brother Dale, playing up front, bagged the third.

Aaron Hodge then went on a mazy run, only to see his goalbound effort frustratingly touched in by substitute Danny Gower, who was ruled offside.

But Penncroft conceded a fourth when their goalkeeper let a Dovey free-kick to go under him, and Gower lobbed home the fifth from outside the box.

Salt was rubbed into wounds when Penncroft were reduced to ten men in the dying minutes when the last defender was shown a red card for fouling Dovey.

Ludlow travel to mid-table Trysull this weekend and will be without Dale Hodge, possibly Aaron too. But Jamie Smith returns and Gower is set to start up front after coming off the bench and scoring against Penncroft.