Hereford
FC travel across to Oxford on Tuesday night for a game against one of the
National League North’s strugglers, a game that really should deliver three
points given that the hosts aren’t very good and the visitors seem to play with
more freedom on the road than they do at home.
The
Hoops took a while to adapt to the rigours of the National League North last
season as newly relegated arrivals, both on the pitch and off it given the
travel involved as a southern club in a northern league. However, they rallied,
adapted and ultimately comfortably avoided back-to-back relegations.
Nevertheless they finished a distant 23 points behind tenth-placed
Hereford.
They
haven’t kicked on from there though, and are currently joint bottom of the
table with Southport. The fact that they’re only seven points behind Hereford
now rather than 23 may be a bit of a naughty observation in suggesting that the
gap between the sides has closed given that the season is still relatively
young, but it would be fair to say that Hereford haven’t kicked on from that
tenth-placed finish either.
Anything
less than a win here for Hereford will offer more evidence to suggest that this
is going to be a season of consolidation to put it politely, survival to put it
realistically, and possible relegation to put it starkly. Telford and then
Curzon Ashton have both ripped through the Hereford midfield and defence in
consecutive home games, more or less at will, and that’s not been a good look.
To have drawn both of those games was utterly remarkable, and if Southport do
something similar on Saturday it really will be a concern.
However,
such is the nature of football that a win here will spark renewed thoughts of a
resurgence. Indeed, in fairly typical NLN fashion the middle of the table is
getting quite tight because, again in typical NLN fashion, there’s a fag
paper’s width in quality between at least the middle ten teams in the division.
With bottom club Southport coming to Edgar Street following this game a solid
mid-table platform could be achieved by 5pm on Saturday following back-to-back
wins, something that looked like a distant prospect at half-time last Saturday.
The
weekend’s hat-trick hero Omari Sterling-James didn’t get his last two goals
early enough on Saturday to pick up the MoM award, which went to Sam Osborne.
He’ll have to score at least four here, all overhead kicks, and simultaneously maybe do a few
star jumps or something to get the vote.
Osborne
continues to show himself to be a keeper, as in one to keep rather than an
understudy to Theo Richardson. If a deal could be done to make him a Hereford
player, and assuming he’s enjoying his football at Edgar Street and would
welcome the idea, there wouldn’t be too many dissenting voices among
supporters.
Hopes
are high among those supporters that young Harley Hamilton can make a
difference following his arrival at the club last week. He’ll make his league
debut for the club here, and could be the key to making the lone striker option
finally work, ensuring that there’s a link between the midfield and the centre
forward, rather than a huge expanse of empty space.
The
aforementioned Theo Richardson, along with Kyle Howkins, was crucial on
Saturday in keeping the score down to three to give the comeback any chance of
happening. Hopefully Kyle can manage another 90 minutes in quick succession
here following his recent injury absence.
Another
90 minutes so soon after Saturday might not be top of Gus Mafuta’s wish list as
he creeps back to full fitness, but this is just the sort of game he and
Charlie Cooper can stamp their authority on in breaking things up and releasing
Harley Hamilton.
Hamilton’s
availability is timely given that I-Lani Edwards could be missing here
following a knock against Curzon.
For
Oxford, ex-Bull DJ Sturridge is having an OK season in a struggling side, with
a couple of goals and three assists. However, he’s missed the last three games
and is a doubtful presence.
The
hosts have lost five of their eight home games so far, and have only won two of
15 games in total. That said, they’ve scored as many goals at home as three of
the division’s top four sides. It’s just that they’re also very leaky – they’ve
conceded more at home than anyone. It’s been two months since they last won.
Can
Saturday’s comeback be used as a confidence boost to go on, win this, and start
climbing the table? A couple of early goals for the Bulls rather than the
opposition for a change, followed by a nice, relaxed controlling of the rest of
the game, would be ideal.
Can the season finally get going here?
COYW
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