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Hereford's hopes dashed
Hereford United went down 1-0 to Halifax this afternoon, a defeat which ends Hereford's play-off hopes.
Quailey kills
United's play-off hopes
Halifax
Town 1 - 0 Hereford United
Hereford United's play-off dream is now
over after Halifax Town won 1-0 in today's game at the
Shay.
The Bulls lie a clear ten points behind fifth-placed Chester City, which is an insurmountable deficit, and this was despite throwing everythnig forward in the second half in search of an equaliser to keep their hopes of the promotion play-off spot alive.
Missing Paul Parry with an ankle injury, United boss Graham Turner drafted Rob Sawyers into midfield as Tony James and Jamie Pitman had to settle for places on the bench, but it was Halifax who dominated the opening period. Hereford only really tested Town goalkeeper Lee Butler on one occasion, when a Karl Hawley shot was tipped around the post from twenty-five yards out.
At the other end, Matt Baker was had a busy first half. Andy Farrell struck the bar from an acute angle on twelve minutes, and the next Halifax attack saw the ball in the back of the net, only to be disallowed by the linesman for offside. The Bulls' fragile defence was further hit when Andy Tretton was stretchered off with an ankle knock on sixteen minutes, and Tony James made a premature return from his injury to fill-in alongside Ian Wright.
With six minutes of the half remaining, Halifax notched the only goal of the game. Andy Farrell provided a low pass from the right for Phil Clarkson to strike and Brian Quailey to turn in at the far post, leaving Baker helpless.
Graham Turner made a double substitution at the break, with ineffective attacker Albano Correia and midfielder Rob Sawyers removed for John Grant and Jamie Pitman respectively. The move appeared to pay dividends as United were on-top for the second period, with Ian Wright having a header cleared off the line minutes after the restart and Butler was forced to tip a Ben Smith header around the post with eighteen minutes remaining.
Matt Clarke could have snatched an equaliser in the last ten minutes but he failed to connect onto a low ball from the left, and at the other end Baker tipped over a Brian Quailey effort just before the hour mark before Halifax substitute Ian Fitzpatrick somehow managed to fire a close-range shot wide in injury time which would have confirmed the victory.
The Bulls lie a clear ten points behind fifth-placed Chester City, which is an insurmountable deficit, and this was despite throwing everythnig forward in the second half in search of an equaliser to keep their hopes of the promotion play-off spot alive.
Missing Paul Parry with an ankle injury, United boss Graham Turner drafted Rob Sawyers into midfield as Tony James and Jamie Pitman had to settle for places on the bench, but it was Halifax who dominated the opening period. Hereford only really tested Town goalkeeper Lee Butler on one occasion, when a Karl Hawley shot was tipped around the post from twenty-five yards out.
At the other end, Matt Baker was had a busy first half. Andy Farrell struck the bar from an acute angle on twelve minutes, and the next Halifax attack saw the ball in the back of the net, only to be disallowed by the linesman for offside. The Bulls' fragile defence was further hit when Andy Tretton was stretchered off with an ankle knock on sixteen minutes, and Tony James made a premature return from his injury to fill-in alongside Ian Wright.
With six minutes of the half remaining, Halifax notched the only goal of the game. Andy Farrell provided a low pass from the right for Phil Clarkson to strike and Brian Quailey to turn in at the far post, leaving Baker helpless.
Graham Turner made a double substitution at the break, with ineffective attacker Albano Correia and midfielder Rob Sawyers removed for John Grant and Jamie Pitman respectively. The move appeared to pay dividends as United were on-top for the second period, with Ian Wright having a header cleared off the line minutes after the restart and Butler was forced to tip a Ben Smith header around the post with eighteen minutes remaining.
Matt Clarke could have snatched an equaliser in the last ten minutes but he failed to connect onto a low ball from the left, and at the other end Baker tipped over a Brian Quailey effort just before the hour mark before Halifax substitute Ian Fitzpatrick somehow managed to fire a close-range shot wide in injury time which would have confirmed the victory.
Written by Terry Goodwin - 12th April
2003.
| Halifax Town | Hereford United |
| Lee Butler | Matt Baker |
| Alastair Asher | Matt Clarke |
| Neil Grayston | Michael Rose |
| Shaun Garnett (captain) | Andy Tretton (off, 16 minutes) |
| Adam Quinn | Ian Wright (captain) |
| Steve Bushell | Ben Smith |
| Phil Clarkson | Rob Sawyers (off, half time) |
| Craig Midgley (off, 86 minutes) | Steve Guinan |
| Andy Farrell | Albano Correia (off, half time) |
| Neil Tolson (off, 53 minutes) | Karl Hawley |
| Brian Quailey (off, 76 minutes) | Rob Purdie |
| Subs | Subs |
| Sean McAuley (on, 86 minutes) | Tony James (on, 16 minutes) |
| Tom Morgan | Ken Griffiths |
| Ian Fitzpatrick (on, 76 minutes) | John Grant (on, half time) |
| Simon Parke (on, 53 minutes) | Jamie Pitman (on, half time) |
| Mark Monington | Danny Williams |
| Yellow cards | Yellow cards |
| Adam Quinn (foul, 18 minutes) | Matt Clarke (unsporting behaviour, 44 minutes) |
| Simon Parke (foul, 72 minutes) | Tony James (foul, 58 minutes) |
| Red cards | Red cards |
| - | - |
| Scorers | Scorers |
| Brian Quailey (39 minutes) | - |
| Man of the Match | Matt Clarke |
| Attendance | 1299 |
| Referee | Mr. R. Booth (Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire) |