January

MALVERN secured a North Midlands Cup semi-final place with the last kick of the match, after being run hard by University College Worcester. Steve Ott's conversion was all that separated the teams as a fast and furious game at Spring Lane ended 18-16 to the home side.

FORMER Chase PE teacher Jane Powell was off to India as the highest qualified woman in the world of cricket coaching. Her visit to India was one of only three scholarships awarded under the Lord's Taverners 50th Anniversary Coaching Scheme.

A SUPERB run in the FA Vase came to an end in the fourth round for Ledbury Town with a 2-0 away defeat to higher-graded Didcot Town.

LEDBURY RFC secured crucial points with a win over fellow relegation strugglers Droitwich with a 10-18 victory. That joy evaporated a week later, after a 19-10 defeat to another struggler, Shipston, which left them marooned in the bottom two.

February

FIFTEEN-year-old Adam Oakley became the youngest winner of the Malvern Closed squash trophy since the competition's inauguration in 1976. Youth paid off amid long rallies, Adam finishing strongly to win the decisive game 9-0.

THERE was a double hat-trick for Gordon Mansell as Ganglands put 17 past a depleted Keys Victoria outfit in the Soccer Site Malvern League President's Cup.

LEDBURY Town FC were also racking up the goals in the top reaches of the West Midlands Premier League. A 2-5 win over Wednesfield, then 6-1 cup demolition of the same side, was followed by a 5-0 victory over Pelsall Villa. However, the month ended in a disappointing defeat at Smethwick.

LEDBURY RFC continued to struggle to get out of the bottom two in Midlands Three West. There were spirited displays but still defeats to Old Yardleians, Barker's Butts and Earlsdon.

March

MALVERN Ladies' football team defended their Kidderminster and District Women's League title thanks to a 1-2 win over Headless Cross Ladies.

THERE was joy too for Powick's footballers as a 1-6 thumping of Fernhill Heath Spurs delivered the Worcester League division one crown.

COLWALL Women's Hockey Club marked their 75th anniversary with a celebration in the Full Pitcher, Ledbury, attended by past and present members.

MANOR Park Squash Club's first team looked to their return to the top flight when they won division two of the Worcestershire Squash League. The team also won the Worcestershire Cup Plate competition.

LEDBURY Town FC endured a miserable month, three defeats included a 7-0 thrashing by Lye Town. Goalkeeper Craig Humphries was superb until red-carded in the second-half and the goals rained in.

THERE was joy for Ledbury and District Amateur Swimming Club, with a double victory in a tough PGL Junior League gala and, 24 hours later, a Wyvern League gala.

April

BARNARDS Green lost the services of overseas cricketer Nash Jones before a ball of the season was bowled. It followed a decision by the Home Office to deport Jones, who had planned to spent six months in England, back to Grenada.

MALVERN RFC played some sparkling rugby, including a 44-16 demolition of promotion rivals Hinckley, but ended the season in heartbreak - a promotion play-off defeat at the hands of Market Bosworth, 40-7.

MALVERN Town lost 3-0 at home in their final game but still ended their first season in the Midland Alliance league in a highly-creditable fifth place.

LEDBURY Town sacked management duo Ian Ford and Kevin Barry citing a poor run of defeats. Despite problems, they finished the month sixth in the league and through to the final of the West Midland Premier League Cup.

DEFEAT by Hereford appeared to consign Ledbury RFC to relegation - until news started to emerge that Shipston may have fielded an ineligible player. That development was to save Ledbury from the drop.

May

BISHOPS Frome survived a late onslaught from Oak Allstars to secure the division one title in the Soccer Site Malvern Football League. Allstars later got their revenge in the final of the Senior Cup. Perowne Park Rangers were also given a tough time by Dilligaf Utd en-route to the division two crown.

THE local derby in the final of the Infirmary Cup went the way of Malvern Town, who cruised passed Bromyard 4-0 at New Street, Ledbury. Town's reserves then captured the Evesham Hospital Cup after a 2-1 extra-time win over Badsey Rangers.

THERE were some notable early performances as cricket got underway, including Dovey's 6-37 for Malvern against Cookley, Sandford's 6-70 and Shahid's 6-25 for Eastnor against Ombersley and Chaddesley Corbett, and tons for Barnards Green's Dan Flynn and Colwall's Tom MacNamara.

MALVERN Town Wanderers U10s finished the season as league champions and cup-winners, taking their unbeaten run to two years and more than 80 competitive matches.

LEDBURY Town Swifts U18s were presented with the league trophy ahead of an amazing game against Llandrindod Wells. Ledbury were 3-0 down with 15 minutes to go when they blitzed a shocked opposition with five goals.

June

THERE was an eagerly-awaited encounter at North End Lane when second-placed Barnards Green CC faced a confident Malvern side. Kevin Golder's unbeaten 65 anchored the Green's efforts on a difficult wicket then five wickets for Chris Harrison helped skittle Malvern for 87. The following week, the Green destroyed league leaders Bromyard.

FATHER-and-son Neil and Callum James, from Ledbury, gained Tae-kwon-do black belts at the same grading tournament in Doncaster.

MALVERN mountain bike star Liam Killeen collected his first major win of the season in round three of the UCI World Cup Marathon at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada.

THERE was a record entry for the Dymock Half-Marathon with Bristol's Vito Graffagnio heading them home in 1.12.23. The first local runner was Dymock's Andrew Pook in 1.28.12.

TWELVE overs of mayhem lifted Bosbury as Darren Cooke (131) and Steve Davies (69) plundered 175 from a stunned Canon Frome attack. In fading light, Frome's batsmen held out for the draw.