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One game took place in the National North League this evening.
It ended:
Brackley 3 South Shields 2
Hereford stay top of the table. South Shields, who have now played the same number of games, remain 4th.
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Former Hereford United Keeper In Charge At Forest Green
With the news that Robbie Savage has quit Forest Green Rovers for Peterborough United, a former Hereford United goalkeeper will take charge this evening when Wealdstone visit the New Lawn.
Jonathan Gould, who is the goalkeeping coach at Forest Green, came to Edgar Street on loan from Preston North End at the start of the 2004/05 season.
He made 15 appearances for the Bulls before moving to Bristol City.
Spennymoor Appoint New Manager
Spennymoor have appointed Peter Hartley as their new manager. He replaces Tommy Miller who resigned earlier this month.
This from Spennymoor:
Spennymoor Town are delighted to announce the appointment of Peter Hartley as the Club’s new First Team Manager.
The 38-year-old returns to the North East to take charge at The Brewery Field and will be joined by Ryan Cresswell, who has been appointed as Assistant Manager.
Hartley’s appointment follows an extensive recruitment process which attracted more than 50 applications and allowed the Club to consider an exceptionally strong field of candidates.
The resulting shortlist included former National League North managers, individuals currently working within international football and coaches and assistant managers from EFL clubs.
Given the strength and breadth of that interest, the Club was determined not to rush the process and instead take the necessary time to ensure the appointment was the right one for Spennymoor Town.
Hartlepool-born Hartley arrives with significant experience from a playing career spanning more than two decades, having progressed through Sunderland’s academy before representing clubs including Hartlepool United, Plymouth Argyle, Bristol Rovers, Motherwell and Jamshedpur.
A commanding central defender, Hartley’s leadership qualities saw him appointed captain at multiple clubs through his playing career. During his time in Scotland, he helped Motherwell reach both domestic cup finals in 2017/18, before later captaining Jamshedpur to the Indian Super League Winners’ Shield in 2021/22.
Since moving into coaching, the UEFA A Licence holder has continued to build his experience at the highest possible level. After gaining coaching experience within the academies at Middlesbrough and Sunderland, Hartley joined St Mirren in October 2024 as First Team Coach and Head of First Team Transition & Loan Pathways.
During his time in Paisley, Hartley has been part of a coaching team which secured three consecutive top-six finishes in the Scottish Premiership and won the 2025/26 Premier Sports Cup, defeating Celtic in the Final at Hampden Park.
He will now make the next step in his coaching career by taking charge at The Brewery Field, with former Rotherham United captain Cresswell by his side.
The 38-year-old former central defender made almost 300 Football League appearances during a playing career which included spells with Rotherham, Southend United, Fleetwood Town and Northampton Town, before moving into coaching and management in non-league football.
The Club remains fully committed to the objectives established at the beginning of the season, with the ambition of achieving a top-seven finish in National League North alongside strong runs in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy.
To support those ambitions, the Club is committed to further investment in the First Team squad, ensuring Hartley has the resources required to strengthen where necessary and give the team every opportunity to achieve those objectives.
He will also have full autonomy to assess the existing playing squad and backroom staff and make any changes he believes are required.
Monday, September 28, 2026
South Shields Could Rise To Second Tomorrow Evening
South Shields play their postponed match at Brackley tomorrow evening.
The original game back in August was abandoned with just 36 minutes played.
Brackley said the referee called a halt after 20 minutes when heavy rain affected the playing surface at St James’s Park.
The goalless game was then abandoned on 36 minutes after the match got underway for two minutes.
If Shields win they will go second in the table. If so they will have the same number of points as Hereford but a much poorer goal difference partly because they lost 6-0 at Edgar Street recently.
Meanwhile Shields remain top of the bookmakers list to win the league title with odds of 7/2.
Macclesfield are 9/2, Hereford are 5/1.
Merthyr Take Tough Stance Over Supporters Behaviour
Following problems outside their stadium last Saturday, Merthyr have issued a statement:
Everyone at Merthyr Town Football Club is appalled by the behaviour displayed by a group of young supporters following Saturday’s match against Marine. This behaviour is completely unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our Club or the conduct of the vast majority of our well behaved and welcoming fans.
Although the incident took place well outside the stadium, behaviour of this nature has no place at Merthyr Town FC, and those responsible are not welcome at our football club.
The Club is reviewing all available information to understand what occurred. Anyone identified as engaging in unacceptable conduct will face appropriate Club sanctions, including potential exclusion from Penydarren Park. Any relevant information can be shared with the appropriate authorities.
We are also considering further steps around our match day operations. Where necessary, the Club may implement controlled exit procedures at the end of fixtures to support stewarding and safety management. In addition, supporters wearing non medical face coverings may be refused entry to the stadium, and anyone found inside the ground with such coverings will be asked to leave. This measure is being introduced to assist identification and ensure the safety of all attendees.
The Club recognises that anti social behaviour is a much wider issue than football alone. We continue to work closely with South Wales Police, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, and other partner agencies on a range of initiatives designed to improve match day safety and address wider issues of anti social behaviour.
Any supporters who may have information that could assist the Club in understanding Saturday’s incident invited to contact us directly.
Merthyr Town FC remains committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for all genuine supporters, and we thank our fanbase for their continued cooperation.
Martin Recovering From Injury
Hereford's Keziah Martin was not in the match day squad at Bedford last Saturday.
However he was at the game along with captain Lewis Hudson.
It's understood Martin is recovering from tendonitous in his foot.
It's hoped he will be training again tomorrow (Tuesday) and should be available for selection when Hereford have their next game, at home to Hednesford, on Saturday week.
As regards Hudson he is at least a couple of weeks away from full fitness.
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Bedford Equalise Against Hereford
Thirty seconds of video shows how Bedford equalised against Hereford yesterday.
https://x.com/BedfordTown/status/2104135610567135312/video/1
https://x.com/BedfordTown/status/2104135610567135312/video/1
Hereford Women Win At Bromsgrove
Hereford Women continued their unbeaten league run at Bromsgrove this afternoon with a 2-1 victory.
Hereford FC Women won a hard fought victory 2-1 at Bromsgrove Sporting this afternoon.
Playing up the slope in the first half Hereford scored first in the 35th minute. Sheree Smith chased a long ball, outpaced the defender, rounded the 'keeper and slid the ball into an empty net.
Bromsgrove equalised on the stroke of half time.
Hereford scored their second in second half, Smith again with a long range direct free kick which the Bromsgrove 'keeper couldn't keep out.
Hereford FC Women battled to the end to take the points.
They are now 5th in the league table with six points from four games.
Second Half Pictures From Bedford
A selection of pictures from the second half of yesterday's game between Bedford and Hereford.
National North Weekend Round Up
NL's Sam Elliott with a round up of the games played yesterday in the National North League.
There was frustration for the teams at the top of the Enterprise National League North as the battle for points resumed.
Following the FA Cup break, North leaders Hereford had to settle for a for a draw at Bedford Town when Reece Evans levelled five minutes into injury time.
Macclesfield closed the gap to two points, Danny Elliott’s 19th minute goal was enough to defeat Harborough Town.
Oxford City are looking good in third as veteran Alfie Potter earned a very late draw with Morecambe.
South Shields are heading in the right direction - Paul Blackett was back on the scoresheet as last year’s defeated play-off finalists beat Buxton 4-0.
Jamie Cooke was at the double as Hednesford Town came from a goal down to also score four as Radcliffe left well beaten.
So did Chester, Billy Waters was too hot for Worksop Town to handle as the Seals put recent poor form behind them.
King’s Lynn Town went one better. A stunning 5-0 success at AFC Telford United brought a brilliant hat-trick from 28-year-old Carlton Ubaezuonu.
Chorley hope their season is really up and running. Dependable Mike Calveley grabbed a late winner as Andy Preece’s team broke Spalding hearts, but the Tulips remain in the top seven.
The only other team in the division to win were Marine. Finlay Sinclair-Smith snatched a late victory at Merthyr Town to the joy of the travelling fans in Wales.
First Half Pictures From Bedford
A selection of pictures from the first half of yesterday's game between Bedford and Hereford.
Saturday, September 26, 2026
444 Hereford Supporters At Bedford
An excellent turnout of 444 Hereford supporters were at Bedford this afternoon.
Here's some photos of the support from before kick-off.
Match Report: Bedford Town 1-1 Hereford FC
Bedford Town v Hereford FC in the Enterprise National League North.
The Bulls were back to the bread and butter of the Enterprise National League North and a visit to The Eyrie Stadium to take on Bedford Town following their exit out of the Emirates FA Cup at the 2nd Qualifying Round stage last Saturday.
After the shock cup defeat there were two changes with Harrison Iwunze and Kyle Howkins both starting, new loan signing from Notts County Kameron Muir was on the bench along with Joe Willis for the second successive week whilst former Bull Eno Nto was on the bench for the hosts.
With only two minutes played there was a stoppage in play just inside the Hereford half when a ball by Luke Spokes caught Eagles’ Greg Taylor in the face.
A long ball over the top by Taylor was latched onto by Louie Kudiabor who held off the challenge of Kyle Howkins but miscued his shot and the ball harmlessly ran through to Theo Richardson.
The first opportunity came from Hereford on the 15 minute mark with Aaron Skinner doing well down the left, before he clipped the ball to the back post where Preston Bitemo was waiting but he put his header wide and it rippled the side netting.
With 20 minutes gone Hereford had dictated the play with the Eagles mainly threatening on the counter-attack.
On 33 minutes Joseph James swung a delicious cross in from the right which just evaded the head of Billy Phillips at the back post.
Four minutes later Phillips went on a mazy run towards the edge of the box before he was upended by Bedford captain Josh Castiglione, Spokes stepped up with his curling strike whistling just over the top of the left-corner and clipped the left stanchion behind the goal.
The Eagles’ Lewis Franklin fizzed a cross from the left which was missed by Skinner before finding David Hicks who was free on the edge with his stinging first-time drive brilliantly blocked by Will Merrett.
On the stroke of half-time a free-kick on the right for Hereford after Preston Bitemo was fouled by Franklin, Spokes swung the set-piece in towards the back post but Merrett was adjudged to have climbed over Tarik Gidaree and a foul was given by referee Chay Hathway meaning it was goalless at the break.
Half-time: Bedford Town 0-0 Hereford FC
At the break Ex-Bull Eno Nto came on as a substitute for the Eagles.
Early in the second-half a ball in from the right by James was headed high up in the air by Waldron with the ball going towards the byline before it went off Bedford goalkeeper Laurie Walker for a corner after Waldron challenged him.
From the resulting corner Hereford almost gained the lead after it was floated in by Spokes before being flicked goalwards by Waldron at the front post only to be beaten away by the outstretched right hand of Walker.
On 52 minutes the Bulls broke the deadlock, Waldron hooked the ball onto Bitemo who delivered an inviting ball across the face of the box which Iwunze got on the end of to tap in to continue his imperious form grabbing his eighth goal for the club.
After taking the lead Hereford pushed for more, firstly Phillips’ shot was palmed away by the Bedford shot-stopper before the ball was recycled out to Phillips again who crossed into the danger zone for Waldron to head goalwards only to be once again be denied by Walker who tipped over the crossbar.
Spokes then played a defence splitting ball through the heart of the Eagles defence to Phillips on the edge of the box and with the goal gaping the winger dragged his effort wide of the left hand post.
A short corner on the left was picked up by the probing Spokes who flashed a strike narrowly over the crossbar.
Bedford almost got back on level terms after Nto beat Howkins down the left before drilling the ball across goal only to be stabbed over the crossbar from 2-yards by the onrushing George Moncur.
On 72 minutes Bitemo made way after it looked like he had picked up a knock to be replaced by Jordan Williamson before 7 minutes later Spokes was substituted for Kameron Muir to make his debut.
The Bulls almost got the second goal they craved to make proceeding more comfortable when a corner from the left was played in by Phillips and was met by a bullet header from Iwunze only for Walker to be equal to it palming the ball away.
On 88 minutes the Bulls had a free-kick 25-yards out which was taken by Phillips who's curling strike flew narrowly over the crossbar.
With 5 minutes of additional time announced Muir was through before poking the ball onto Williamson but it just ran on through for a goal-kick before Bedford went up the other end through Castiglione who saw his low effort from the edge of the box comfortably collected by Richardson low to his left.
Bedford threw Walker up for a corner on the left with Castiglione curling the ball in eventually falling to Moncur who saw his shot blocked by Merrett.
However in the 4th minute of the allotted 5 the Eagles snatched a last gasp equaliser when Castiglione beat three yellow shirts near the right corner flag before crossing into the box, the ball ricocheted around before Reece Evans guided it into the bottom-left corner.
Full-time: Bedford Town 1-1 Hereford FC
Goal scored by Harrison Iwunze.
Hereford FC:- 1 Theo Richardson, 2 Aaron Skinner, 4 Kam Kandola ©️, 5 Will Merrett, 10 Danny Waldron, 14 Luke Spokes, 17 Joseph James, 19 Harrison Iwunze, 20 Preston Bitemo, 23 Billy Phillips, 28 Kyle Howkins.
Substitutes:- 6 Joe Willis, 9 Cawley Cox, 15 Jordan Williamson, 18 Liam Roberts, 21 Ollie Lewis, 24 Jack Tolley, 30 Kameron Muir.
Attendance 1432 (444 away)
A shame we couldn't claim the extra two points and gutting to concede right at the death but it's another point on the board. The result also sees us still two points clear at the top of the Enterprise National League North aswell as bouncing back from the early exit in the Emirates FA Cup.
Despite the best efforts of the club to try to bring a game forward to next Saturday after the exit out of the Emirates FA Cup the Bulls have a week off next week with the next game in a fortnight's time back at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium with the visit of newly promoted Hednesford Town. COYW
Words: Sam Cummins
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