Ledbury Town FC played host to the Jewson Herefordshire Sunday Football League Division 1 Cup Final between Ross Juniors and Woolhope Allstars; and no one could have predicted the drama that was to play out over the following 120 minutes.

The 6-4 score line fails to reveal the full story of the match. A match that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it, as it reflects the story of a squad of players who refused to return to Ross empty handed.

After a delayed kick off, Woolhope were the first of the two teams to settle following a frantic opening ten minutes in which Juniors could only muster a yellow card for Luke Mayo. With 16 minutes played and Ross still looking unsteady, a good ball from midfield caught the Ross defence napping and lead to the opening goal. 

The game continued in scrappy fashion but Juniors slowly began to improve and just before the half hour mark some good work from Beaumont created an opening for Hall. His shot was saved but dropped to the lurking Francis who slotted the ball home to level the scores. This brought a spark of life to Ross, who narrowly failed to go in front after a delicate lob from Beaumont dropped just wide of the post.

Sam Loftus was unlucky to find himself getting booked and things looked bad for Juniors as a superb strike from fully 25 yards screamed past Goode. With five minutes remaining in the first half Ross pressed for an equaliser and Gray produced the goods after some great work from Burford to end the half 2-2.

Ross started the second half in fine form, with Hall and Francis coming out of the blocks like tigers, harrying and hassling the Woolhope fullbacks. This was to no avail as Woolhope regained the advantage from the spot. Only five minutes later Woolhope doubled their lead and at 4-2 the cup should have been theirs. And maybe, against any other side it would have been.

But this season Ross Juniors have added a mental strength to their game and after a foul on Francis, Davies knocked in a lovely free kick that Damon Beaumont delicately headed past the Woolhope keeper to put Ross firmly back in the game.

Ross were now in the ascendency and their fitness was beginning to show. A free kick was knocked long and again Beaumont was making a nuisance of himself on the edge of the Woolhope box. The ball dropped to Gray who hit home his second of the game. With the score at 4-4 and 15 minutes remaining Ross went in search of a winner that didn't come inside the 90 minutes.

Some words of inspiration from Manager Jim Loftus and some excellent work from the club physio prepared the team for extra time.

Only minutes into extra time it could have been all over but for three world-class saves from Ross keeper, Alex Goode. It seemed McAfee had been seeking inspiration from his keeper and how he did not get booked for a comical handball is anyone's guess.

In the second period of extra time destiny finally revealed its hand. Luke Mayo, who got better as the game went on popped up to put Ross in front for the first time in the match and a few minutes later Woolhope again put the ball in their own net as a defender tackled Gray and beat his own keeper.

Scenes of unbridled joy and sheer relief on the touch line followed and Monday morning saw some very sore heads in Ross! On a day when every player earned his medal, Damon Beaumont took home the Eagle Inn Man of The Match award.