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After this evening 5-1 defeat by Cardiff City, Hereford manager Peter Beadle spoke to the assorted media.
"We didn't expect the result but we expected the type of game we got.
"We had a really good spell for about ten or fifteen minutes after they scored. Got our goal back and we thought we would have gone on again but it didn't quite happen.
"And we got punished.
"I said to them before it's another challenge for us because they train every day, they'll be sharp, they'll be bright, they'll be quick amd what they will do is punish us for any mistakes we make.
"And that's exactly what they did today. They punished us for every little thing we did if we were not in the right position or we gave away a simple pass. We just didn't pick things up in time today.
"There's many factors that could into it. All our players are part-time so they've all had work today whereas these lot are fresh and they've come and prepared properly.
"We've had to do it the other way around and work hard. The last thing you want when you've done a full days work is chasing a 21 year old who is like a whippet anyway.
"But it's exactly what we needed, we need a game like that to square us off, to give us that focal point.
"Even take all that aside I thought we were disappointing especially after we had a decent spell.
"We looked lightweight, we didn't look bright, we didn't look sharp and I can't understand why.
"I thought Saturday was a real tough game. But we are short on numbers, four are away at the moment, we didn't want to work them too hard before the game tonight so they have been off since Saturday so they should have rested well and recovered from any knocks.
"But for whatever reason it wasn't our night performance wise.
"The result is irrelevent, it's awful I know but look at the players they've had out, Kennedy, these players have played in the Championship and the Premiership, some of them.
"And that was the difference, they showed their class and they were backed up really well by some of their younger players. I thought they did really well tonight."
Cardiff looked clinical in front of goal.
"Exactly that, they punished us, their first goal down the side, the two centre halves have got a little bit caught out and the lad has gone throught the middle of them. One across the face of goal, a little bit unlucky who was going to get the first tough on it, but he just got his toe in. Then the deflection.
"You could go through all of them, pick things out but you have to remember who we are playing against. These lads train every single day on exactly the things like that, balls flashing across the box, rebounds, keepers spilling one.
"It was a great workout for us again but we are light in numbers and that's tough as in tough on the players. Some have played 90 minutes Saturday and some ninety minutes tonight but it's good preparation and just the game we needed and probably the result we needed just to re-focus us.
"We need to go again now and we'll prepare properly for Monday with a couple of sessions between now and then."
Beadle has brought in WBA keeper Ethan Ross as cover for Martin Horsell.
"I thought he didn't have much of a chance with too many of the goals. What he did do he looked quite good.
"I thought he didn't have much of a chance with too many of the goals. What he did do he looked quite good.
"We'll have another look at him on Monday and see where we go from there.
"He will have loved the experience of getting out and playing in a proper game and hopefully he'll do the same on Monday.
"In general I thought his play was pretty good.
"We're probably looking to do something longer term. There are not a hugh number of keepers around that we could easily pick up. They've all been signed up clubs because we are so close to the start of the season.
"The other option is could we take Ethen for a little bit longer. West Brom are happy but it just depends what we do with him after he's had a couple of games.
"He did quite well today. He's a good size and outside of the goals which he didn't have much chance with he did quite well. He had a decent start."
Some positives for Hereford?
"We had to be careful with Lance Smith as he was blowing a bit first half, I think he had a stitch in the first half but that can happen when you miss so many games.
"So we got an hour out of him which is good but he was flagging towards the end. We didn't want to risk any injuries with him so we brought him off after an hour.
"I thought Keyon was lively tonight. I thought he played extremely well tonight.
"Outside of that I think it was a bit of a disappointing performance and, I don't know, it lacked a bit of heart or something. There wasn't that fire there that we had on Saturday.
"Whether it was a Wednesday night, or the opposition we've played, or the lads have been at work or they are feeling a bit leggy maybe, I don't know.
"But it's pre-season. It would have been lovely to have put on a sparkling performance and beat them 5-1 but it was never about that and tonight was a bit disappointing."
Next on Monday is Gloucester City.
