CLEE Hill United boss Wayne Whitbread admitted he would ‘take the flak’ after his side let slip a 3-0 lead in the final quarter of an hour to exit the Herefordshire Charity Bowl at Hinton.

United looked to be cruising into the semi-finals thanks to a double from Stevie Preece and a Ryan Clarke goal but they capitulated in the latter stages to lose 4-3 in extra-time.

Whitbread groaned: “It’s difficult to sum it all up really, we were 3-0 up with 13 minutes to go and somehow managed to lose.

“The first half was pretty even but we went in 1-0 up from a good goal from Stevie, then we controlled the second half apart from the last few minutes.

“We should have shut up shop and I take a lot of the blame myself. They scored from a header from a corner and that gave them a bit of a lift, then before we knew it, it was 3-3.

“I think everyone thought the game was over and I should take the flak for it.”

After back-to-back defeats for the first time in recent memory, Clee Hill will endeavour to get back on track at home to Ewyas Harold in the Herefordshire Premier this Saturday.

There was better fortune for Ludlow Colts Reserves, who continued their excellent run of results in Herefordshire Division One with a 2-1 win at home to Hereford City.

Colts put a sloppy first half behind them to come from 1-0 down to triumph with two late goals that turned the game on its head.

With one of his first touches, substitute Charlie Austin put in a superb cross from Cameron Fanning to nod Colts level at the back post before Ludlow netted a late, late winner.

Meanwhile, Woofferton’s inconsistent season in Division Two continued with a 4-1 defeat at Credenhill Harriers.