Ledbury 40, Tenbury 0.

LEDBURY made it seven wins out of seven for the season when they comprehensively defeated Tenbury in a knock-out double header at Ross Road, scoring six tries. Having been drawn against each other in the National Junior Vase and the North Midlands Vase, both clubs agreed to play one match to decide who progressed and it was the home team who did so with another impressive performance.

Ledbury began in determined fashion, threatening the Tenbury line on numerous occasions, before opening the scoring with a converted try after nine minutes. Centre Ben Smith doubled the lead just after the first quarter was over, converting his own try after good work by the forwards.

While the majority of play was in the Tenbury half, the visitors made the occasional foray into Ledbury’s 22 but the home team’s excellent defence ensured there was never any real threat of a score.

Flanker Liam Herbert ran a superb supporting line to receive a precise pass from fly-half Charlie Hiram just after the break. He sped away to score under the posts. Smith’s conversion left Tenbury needing three converted tries to achieve parity.

This hope was extinguished on the hour when winger Jamie Rayfield finished off an excellent move emanating from quick line-out possession and then Ledbury crashed over again in the corner for their fifth try.

Skipper Jock Welch finished the try-scoring with the last move of the match when he brushed off would-be tacklers to touch down. Smith slotted over his fifth conversion.

Ledbury now await the draw for the third round of the National Vase and the quarter-final of the North Midlands Vase.