LUDLOW finished the year on a high with an excellent 4-2 win at AFC Bridgnorth Development who went into the game as one of the form sides in Division Two of the West Midlands League.

But they did it the hard way, battling back from conceding an early goal.

Playing up the slope and on a heavy pitch, Ludlow began to ease their way into the game and it was all square at the break thanks to a Jack Marston close-range effort that saw him tap home the rebound after Kieran Dovey’s snaking run had taken him past three defenders only to be foiled by a decent stop from the home keeper.

Two goals in five minutes then swung the game in the visitors’ favour. Tom Everall bagged the first, finishing off a neat passing move, and then slotted home his second of the game from the penalty spot after Marston had been brought down.

But after opening up a two-goal cushion, Ludlow then came under pressure. Keeper Liam Griffiths gave away a penalty which was duly dispatched and was then forced into a decent save to keep his side’s lead intact.

And then, ten minutes from time, a break upfield ended with Connor Davies-Austin wrapping up the points with a fourth for the visitors.

Joint boss Chris Waldron admitted it was a tough test in tricky conditions.

“We knew it was going to be tough on a heavy pitch against a side that has been playing well of late,” he said. “We like to pass the ball around and we couldn’t do that on Saturday.

“It was a scrappy game with not a lot of football played but we managed to get the win.”

Ludlow are at home to Gornal Colts on Saturday.

League rivals Church Stretton suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat at AFC Bentley and will be hoping for a return to winning ways when they head to lowly Rock Rovers on Saturday.

In the Premier Division, Shawbury United’s miserable run continued with a 6-0 drubbing at home by Wednesfield who had opened up a two-goal lead inside the opening five minutes.

On Saturday the Ludlow-based side head to fellow strugglers Wem Town looking to bring an end to a four-game losing run that has seen them ship 14 goals. Their opponents go into the game on a similar run with their last win back in November when they edged out Bilston Town Community 1-0.