SKIPPER Sam Pratt admits Saturday’s defeat at Aldridge and Walsall was a huge blow for Ludlow Hockey Club men’s first XI’s promotion hopes.

Ludlow remain third in West Midlands Division One but are now four points behind second-placed Bromsgrove and five adrift of leaders Stafford with just six games to go.

While Storm Dennis put paid to the majority of the weekend’s sporting programme, there were plenty of hockey games played but Pratt admitted the conditions were far from ideal.

However, he refused to use them as an excuse for the 2-1 defeat in the Black Country as Ludlow fell to two late goals after Craig Heath had put them ahead.

Pratt said: “It was horrible to play in – a pitch on the top of a hill in really windy weather – and some of the lads struggled but I think the result was more due to us missing four of our main 11 players.

“It’s left it hard for us although we still have Stafford to play. We might get second if one of the teams slips up but Saturday’s result was annoying because we had been doing well.”

Ludlow will be without key defender Matt Blount for much of the run-in through injury and Pratt suggested they might focus on the National Cup, where they face, ironically, Stafford in the last 16.

That game happens on Sunday, March 1, seven days before the sides meet in the league at Ludlow, and Pratt added: “We beat them away earlier in the season so I don’t see why we can’t do it again."