TT No.29: Steve Hardy - Sat 28th November 2015; AFC Ludlow 4 Kington Town 1; West Mids Regional Lgue Div 1; Admission: £3; Programme: £1; Attendance: 70ish. 

 

 

Matchday images (6) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/AFCLudlow

 

AFC Ludlow are a fairly new club, having been formed from the ashes of the old Ludlow Town club that folded in 2012. They play at the same Ludlow stadium previously used by Ludlow Town, and it seemed that not much had changed here since my previous visit in 2011. There are two full size pitches inside the stadium. One is grass and the other 3G, and they are separated by the changing room and lounge block. There are seated stands facing both pitches and also two balconies outside the first floor lounge which give excellent views of both pitches.

 

When I previously visited, the game was played on the grass pitch. I understand that the new owners of the stadium give AFC Ludlow the choice of which pitch they want to use, but charge a lot more for the grass pitch, making the choice of playing on plastic a no brainer really. With the full force of storm Clodagh engulfing Ludlow, it was just as well the club did use the 3G pitch, as there would have been no chance of it going ahead on grass.

 

This was a local derby against neighbours Kington Town. Kington brought a good few supporters with them although the torrential rain resulted in a rather subdued atmosphere I thought. On the pitch, leaders AFC Ludlow were much the better team and led 2-0 until just before the break when Kington pulled one back. It could have set up a very close second half, but it didn’t, as AFC scored two further goals to complete a 4-1 victory.

 

My headcount was roughly 70, which included several groundhoppers taking advantage of a match that was always going to be on. Ludlow is a lovely town, which is now modelling itself as the food capital of Shropshire.  My visit coincided with the Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre, and a fellow hopper who had come by train told me the town centre was full of men in medieval outfits, waving axes and looking menacing!

 

contributed on 29/11/15