LUDLOW boss Chris Waldron believes the rest of West Midlands Division Two might just be playing for second place after seeing his side overwhelmed 8-0 at leaders AFC Bentley.

Waldron’s side could have closed within a point of the table-toppers with victory but were instead left to lick their wounds after a chastening defeat.

Former Wolves trainee Liam Hughes scored five, while fellow Molineux graduate James Spray – who has also played for Telford United and Stourbridge – capped a classy display with a goal.

“They were way too good for us but I would expect that with the players they have available to them, including a couple of ex-professionals,” admitted Waldron.

“They were a good side and no excuses our end, we had a couple of older heads injured but it was a reality check. We need to try to just forget it and move on.

“If they have those players available all the time, I would be surprised if anybody else won the league.”

Waldron felt his side were the better team in the opening 15 minutes and had a goal controversially ruled out by the linesman when Jack Marston converted Scott Gilbert’s cross.

Bentley immediately took the lead and never looked back, storming into a 4-0 half-time advantage before scoring four more in the second half against a depleted Ludlow outfit.

Waldron added: “We were struggling for a side – we had the bare 11 players in the first half due to injuries and suspensions plus a couple working.

“So we took a very young side over there – too young probably as we only had three players over 20 in the squad – but take nothing away from Bentley.

“All of the other teams we have played, we have been there or thereabouts against them, hopefully it is just a freak result. We will be all right when we get some players back. We’ll pick ourselves up.”

Ludlow remain fifth but are without a game this weekend, to Waldron’s frustration.

“I always prefer to get straight back at it after a bad result, put it right and don’t dwell on it but we have no game this weekend so we have to go again on the 21st against Warstones,” he added.

Ludlow Colts saw their Herefordshire Challenge Cup game at Kingstone Rovers called off, while the Colts Reserves lost 5-3 to Hinton Reserves in Herefordshire Division One.

Early defensive wobbles from a reshuffled back four saw Ludlow slip 3-0 behind before Daniel Crowther tapped home Ethan Schuck’s header from a corner to open Colts’ account.

Jack Mear netted an outstanding free-kick and Charlie Austin notched a superb volley from Mackenzie Swift’s cross but Hinton also scored twice more to claim the points.