HEREFORDSHIRE got the better of rivals Worcestershire with a 3-2 win in the latest Midland Youth Football Championship match at Bromyard.

It was the visitors who took a 17th minute lead when Jack Shipman headed home from a cross following a left wing corner kick.

However, the lead lasted just five minutes. Worcestershire twice missed the opportunity to clear their lines and when the ball was threaded through to Cory Hyde the centre forward hit a fine shot past goalkeeper Paul Maynard.

Herefordshire's swift passing game was posing the visitors defence plenty of problems with Hyde and Chris Mortlock having chances to put the hosts ahead.

However, it was Worcestershire who finished the half stronger with Ollie Endacott shooting straight at keeper Adam Ding and then skipper Mick Miller having a header well held by Ding.

Herefordshire made a storming start to the second half with Hereford United's Chris Mortlock netting twice in the opening five minutes to give his side a 3-1 lead. His first goal saw him turn Simon Baker inside the penalty area and fire home into the bottom corner and his second was an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area after a shot had rebounded off the crossbar.

For a while it looked as if Herefordshire would runaway with the game, but gradually Worcester-shire rallied and reduced the defi-cit on the hour when Tommy Hobbs netted with a 25 yard free-kick. Play was switching at pace from end to end with Hyde having a fierce shot touched onto the post by Maynard while at the other end Ollie Endacott saw his shot blocked by Ding.

In the closing ten minutes Worcestershire pressed for an equaliser with substitute Andrew Hipkins missing a good chance and then in the final minute Callum Gittings sent over a superb cross only to see substitute Hughes head wide.