TENBURY United boss Aaron Morris turned in a real ‘Roy of the Rovers’ performance to extend his side’s unbeaten start in a nine-goal thriller at Bartestree.

Morris played the first half in goal with United short of their usual keeper but then went up front in the second half and scored a hat-trick as United turned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-4 win.

He finished the game at centre-half as United, who have now won two and drawn two of their opening four games, hung on to move up to sixth in the Herefordshire League Division One table.

Morris said: “We only took 12 players and then Rhys McIntosh got injured in the first half so he said he would go in goal after half-time.

“I was going to play in defence but I spoke to Matt Kurkus, who has been helping me out coaching, and he said to have a go up top – and luckily it paid off.

“Then the last 15 minutes I went back to centre-half to try to help see the game out – you wouldn’t see Ronaldo doing that, would you?”

Will Clutterbuck and Ryan Morris scored in the first half for United.

Aaron added: “We made a bit of a meal of it but we got the result in the end. We didn’t play well but the three points is all that matters.”

Fourth-placed Tenbury Town, however, suffered their first league defeat of the campaign, going down 2-1 at Worcester United.

Town host Hinton Reserves this Saturday while Tenbury United visit Droitwich Spa in the Worcestershire Cup.

Ludlow, meanwhile, head into their cup derby against Ludlow Colts buoyed by a 1-0 win over Ams FC in the Salop Premier that “should have been seven or eight” according to their manager.

Connor Davies-Austin nabbed the winner midway through the first half but boss Chris Waldron said: “It was one of those days in front of goal but their keeper made three or four very good saves.”