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Ian Wright put Hereford United ahead. Farnborough hit back and levelled through Piper on 20 minutes. Phil Robinson, who has just come back from injury, netted two minutes later to give Hereford a half time lead.
However, three goals in the second half sealed the victory for Farnborough. Taggart 59, Lee 79 and another goal from Piper late on meant that United came home with nothing.
Disaster at the
Aimita
Farnborough
Town 4 - 2 Hereford United
Hereford United recorded their fourth
consecutive defeat as they went down 4-2 at Farnborough
Town in the Nationwide Conference, a reversal of the
score at Edgar Street when Phil Robinson started his
managerial career.
The Bulls were without goalkeeper Matt Baker for only the second time this season, as he had an ankle injury. Replacing the ex-Hull goalkeeper was Stuart Jones, a former professional with Torquay United who signed for the club at the weekend.
Phil Robinson returned to the starting line-up, as did Scott Goodwin so Paul Parry pushed up-front to partner Gavin Williams. Rob Elmes dropped to the bench for the game against a Farnborough side which included ex-Dover Athletic striker Joff Vansittart and goalkeeper Tony Pennock, on-loan at the Aimita Stadium from Rushden & Diamonds. Pennock had spells with Hereford and, perhaps more notably, Yeovil Town, before making the summer switch to Nene Park.
A Gavin Williams free kick provided Hereford's first attack after nine minute when his thirty yard strike bobbled around the area before being cleared. A Farnborough counter attack resulted, and Jones was forced to rush out of his goal to clear the danger. Three minutes later, Williams again swung un a free kick, this time from the right flank, for captain Ian Wright to turn a right footed volley goalwards. The ball sailed into the bottom left hand corner as Hereford took an early lead.
Six minutes later, a Dean Green effort on goal caused no problems for Hereford's Jones but Farnborough's pressure was showing. A minute later, another Green cross was slipped under the goalkeeper by Lenny Piper, and the scores were level.
It took just two minutes for Hereford to regain the lead, though! Ian Wright turned provider as he headed across the ball to Ian Rodgerson, who calmly turned the ball home from close range. United should arguably have scored a third on the half hour mark, but a Paul Parry free kick was turned onto the post by the agile Pennock.
Farnborough, though, appeared to take control as the half closed. Joff Vansittart was brought down just outside the box, and Lenny Piper sent over a high free kick that Jones coped with. In the dying minutes, Chris Piper's cross-cum-shot swirled just wide as Hereford appeared devoid of any attacking impotus. They went in ahead at the break, though, but Boro' boss Graham Westley made a substitution, bringing off defender Mark Harper for winger Tony Taggart. Westley is also the chairman at the Aimita Stadium, and has a similar role to Graham Turner who was in charge of team affairs from the touchline on this occasion.
Matt Clarke turned saviour at the start of the second half when he was on hand to head away a Farnborough cross as the last man on the Hereford line, and the away side had little to offer in a one-sided fourty five minutes. Robinson's low shot from just outside the box tested Pennock three minutes before Farnborough equalised again. Dean Green swung in a cross from the right which substitute Taggart turned home from close range.
Taggart went close three minutes later when he fired wide after a shot by Ian Wright, and a minute later Barry Laker headed inches over the crossbar from a Taggart cross from the left. Hereford, at 2-2, had to make changes. John Shirley, who had failed to impress, was removed for striker Rob Elmes as the game swung from end to end, but there were few real chances to liven up a dull atmosphere. The crowd of 479 was the lowest at Farnborough for a league game this season, and even that was boosted by a travelling support of a hundred or so.
With ten minutes left, Farnborough substitute Christian Lee was left unmarked on the far post as a ball came over from Taggart. He headed home from close range to give the home side the lead, which they deserved on the run of play. Hereford, though, came close to equalising with four minutes left when Tony James headed the ball onto the post from six yards out but it rebounded away. Ian Wright also shot over from long range as he attempted to find a way through, but it was all in vain.
In fact, the nail in the coffin came in the last minute when Dean Green had a close range shot blocked by Hereford's Phil Robinson, but Lenny Piper was on hand to tap in to give Farnborough all three points.
The Bulls were without goalkeeper Matt Baker for only the second time this season, as he had an ankle injury. Replacing the ex-Hull goalkeeper was Stuart Jones, a former professional with Torquay United who signed for the club at the weekend.
Phil Robinson returned to the starting line-up, as did Scott Goodwin so Paul Parry pushed up-front to partner Gavin Williams. Rob Elmes dropped to the bench for the game against a Farnborough side which included ex-Dover Athletic striker Joff Vansittart and goalkeeper Tony Pennock, on-loan at the Aimita Stadium from Rushden & Diamonds. Pennock had spells with Hereford and, perhaps more notably, Yeovil Town, before making the summer switch to Nene Park.
A Gavin Williams free kick provided Hereford's first attack after nine minute when his thirty yard strike bobbled around the area before being cleared. A Farnborough counter attack resulted, and Jones was forced to rush out of his goal to clear the danger. Three minutes later, Williams again swung un a free kick, this time from the right flank, for captain Ian Wright to turn a right footed volley goalwards. The ball sailed into the bottom left hand corner as Hereford took an early lead.
Six minutes later, a Dean Green effort on goal caused no problems for Hereford's Jones but Farnborough's pressure was showing. A minute later, another Green cross was slipped under the goalkeeper by Lenny Piper, and the scores were level.
It took just two minutes for Hereford to regain the lead, though! Ian Wright turned provider as he headed across the ball to Ian Rodgerson, who calmly turned the ball home from close range. United should arguably have scored a third on the half hour mark, but a Paul Parry free kick was turned onto the post by the agile Pennock.
Farnborough, though, appeared to take control as the half closed. Joff Vansittart was brought down just outside the box, and Lenny Piper sent over a high free kick that Jones coped with. In the dying minutes, Chris Piper's cross-cum-shot swirled just wide as Hereford appeared devoid of any attacking impotus. They went in ahead at the break, though, but Boro' boss Graham Westley made a substitution, bringing off defender Mark Harper for winger Tony Taggart. Westley is also the chairman at the Aimita Stadium, and has a similar role to Graham Turner who was in charge of team affairs from the touchline on this occasion.
Matt Clarke turned saviour at the start of the second half when he was on hand to head away a Farnborough cross as the last man on the Hereford line, and the away side had little to offer in a one-sided fourty five minutes. Robinson's low shot from just outside the box tested Pennock three minutes before Farnborough equalised again. Dean Green swung in a cross from the right which substitute Taggart turned home from close range.
Taggart went close three minutes later when he fired wide after a shot by Ian Wright, and a minute later Barry Laker headed inches over the crossbar from a Taggart cross from the left. Hereford, at 2-2, had to make changes. John Shirley, who had failed to impress, was removed for striker Rob Elmes as the game swung from end to end, but there were few real chances to liven up a dull atmosphere. The crowd of 479 was the lowest at Farnborough for a league game this season, and even that was boosted by a travelling support of a hundred or so.
With ten minutes left, Farnborough substitute Christian Lee was left unmarked on the far post as a ball came over from Taggart. He headed home from close range to give the home side the lead, which they deserved on the run of play. Hereford, though, came close to equalising with four minutes left when Tony James headed the ball onto the post from six yards out but it rebounded away. Ian Wright also shot over from long range as he attempted to find a way through, but it was all in vain.
In fact, the nail in the coffin came in the last minute when Dean Green had a close range shot blocked by Hereford's Phil Robinson, but Lenny Piper was on hand to tap in to give Farnborough all three points.
Written by Terry Goodwin - 12th March
2002.
| Farnborough Town | Hereford United |
| Tony Pennock | Stuart Jones |
| Michael Warner | Matt Clarke |
| Justin Gregory | John Shirley (off, 66 minutes) |
| Tim O'Shea (off, 73 minutes) | Phil Robinson |
| Mark Harper (off, half time) | Ian Wright (captain) |
| Barry Laker | Tony James |
| Gary Holloway | Ian Rodgerson |
| Lenny Piper | John Snape |
| Joff Vansittart (off, 79 minutes) | Paul Parry |
| Dean Green | Gavin Williams |
| Chris Piper | Scott Goodwin |
| Subs | Subs |
| Darren Annon (on, 73 minutes) | Rob Elmes (on, 66 minutes) |
| Graham Benstead | Lee Evans |
| Miguel De Souza | Steve Piearce |
| Christian Lee (on, 78 minutes) | Jimmy Quiggin |
| Tony Taggart (on, half time) | Jon Hill |
| Yellow cards | Yellow cards |
| Justin Gregory (33 minutes) | John Shirley (dissent, 34 minutes) |
| Matt Clarke (foul, 61 minutes) | |
| Red cards | Red cards |
| - | - |
| Scorers | Scorers |
| Lenny Piper (20 minutes, 89 minutes) | Ian Wright (12 minutes) |
| Tony Taggart (59 minutes) | Ian Rodgerson (22 minutes) |
| Christian Lee (79 minutes) | |
| Man of the Match | Phil Robinson |
| Attendance | 479 |
| Referee | Mr. D. Bryan (Stamford) |
www.HU-FC.co.uk
- The Independent Hereford United Online Resource © Terry
Goodwin 2001