Bulls stay top
Hereford stay top of the Conference tonight although they could only draw with Gravesend three each. Goals by Guinan, Brown and Smith were not enough. An entertaining match to watch but mistakes in the Bull's defence cost dearly.
Defensive
Gravesend collect plucky point
Hereford
United 3 - 3 Gravesend & Northfleet
Hereford United
remain at the summit of the Nationwide Conference despite
dropping two points against lowly Gravesend & Northfleet at
Edgar Street.
Chester City's failure to beat Telford United means the Bulls stay top on goal difference.
Once again, United netted three to boost their goals scored column to 31, but some slack defending handed Gravesend a point as they extended their unbeaten run to four matches.
Robert Howarth opened the scoring on eighteen minutes as he beat Richard Teesdale before smashing an excellent ball from ten yards past the helpless Matt Baker. This, though, came after Paul Parry had seen his half volley rebound off the crossbar on thirteen minutes at the other end.
Danny Williams forced an excellent save out of Paul Wilkerson in the 'Fleet goal before the away side extended their advantage. Adam Miller picked up the ball thirty yards out and simply lifted it into the net. The ball was unstoppable, but United responded within a minute when a Williams cross from the right was scrambled in at the near post by Steve Guinan, his eighth goal of the season.
Having been 2-0 down on 33 minutes, it was a great credit that Hereford went in level. A clever flick from Jamie Pitman found David Brown in the box, and his shot from six yards hit the far corner of the net.
It took just two minutes for Gravesend to regain the lead after the restart. Robert Howarth surged into the United box, beating the offside trap before smashing the ball past Baker for the second goal. Three minutes later, though, Ben Smith turned on the edge of the box to strike a curling shot home to level again.
From then on, Gravesend seemed content to defend, putting eleven players behind the ball at times. A Richard Teesdale header was hooked off the line, Williams fired a free-kick inches over from thirty yards and Guinan found the net, but his effort was rightly ruled out for offside.
Chris Moore's second yellow card saw his dismissed four minutes from time, but it was too late for United to make an impact. It was the 59 away fans who went home happiest.
Chester City's failure to beat Telford United means the Bulls stay top on goal difference.
Once again, United netted three to boost their goals scored column to 31, but some slack defending handed Gravesend a point as they extended their unbeaten run to four matches.
Robert Howarth opened the scoring on eighteen minutes as he beat Richard Teesdale before smashing an excellent ball from ten yards past the helpless Matt Baker. This, though, came after Paul Parry had seen his half volley rebound off the crossbar on thirteen minutes at the other end.
Danny Williams forced an excellent save out of Paul Wilkerson in the 'Fleet goal before the away side extended their advantage. Adam Miller picked up the ball thirty yards out and simply lifted it into the net. The ball was unstoppable, but United responded within a minute when a Williams cross from the right was scrambled in at the near post by Steve Guinan, his eighth goal of the season.
Having been 2-0 down on 33 minutes, it was a great credit that Hereford went in level. A clever flick from Jamie Pitman found David Brown in the box, and his shot from six yards hit the far corner of the net.
It took just two minutes for Gravesend to regain the lead after the restart. Robert Howarth surged into the United box, beating the offside trap before smashing the ball past Baker for the second goal. Three minutes later, though, Ben Smith turned on the edge of the box to strike a curling shot home to level again.
From then on, Gravesend seemed content to defend, putting eleven players behind the ball at times. A Richard Teesdale header was hooked off the line, Williams fired a free-kick inches over from thirty yards and Guinan found the net, but his effort was rightly ruled out for offside.
Chris Moore's second yellow card saw his dismissed four minutes from time, but it was too late for United to make an impact. It was the 59 away fans who went home happiest.
Written by Terry
Goodwin - 27th September 2003.
| Hereford United | Gravesend & Northfleet |
| Matt Baker | Paul Wilkerson |
| Ryan Green | Jimmy Strouts (off, 76 minutes) |
| Michael Rose | Eddie McClements (off, 16 minutes) |
| Jamie Pitman | Lee Shearer (captain) |
| Richard Teesdale | Chris Moore |
| Tony James (captain) | Robert Owen |
| Danny Williams | Adam Miller |
| Ben Smith | Pat Gradley |
| Steve Guinan | Ben Walshe |
| David Brown (off, 81 minutes) | James Pinnock (on, 88 minutes) |
| Paul Parry | Robert Howarth |
| Subs | Subs |
| Jordan King | Ben Abbey |
| Ben Scott | Steve Perkins (on, 76 minutes) |
| Daniel Carey-Bertram (on, 81 minutes) | Francis Duku (on, 88 minutes) |
| Dean Craven | Alex O'Reily |
| Rob Purdie | Andy Drury (on, 16 minutes) |
| Yellow cards | Yellow cards |
| - | Ben Walshe (foul, 30 minutes) |
| - | Chris Moore (foul, 32 minutes) |
| - | Lee Shearer (foul, 48 minutes) |
| - | Chris Moore (foul, 86 minutes) |
| Red cards | Red cards |
| - | Chris Moore (second bookable offence, 86 minutes) |
| Scorers | Scorers |
| Steve Guinan (34 minutes) | Robert Howarth (18, 47 minutes) |
| David Brown (44 minutes) | Adam Miller (33 minutes) |
| Ben Smith (50 minutes) | - |
| - | - |
| Man of the Match | Danny Williams |
| Attendance | 3731 |
| Referee | Mr. P. Grove (West Midlands) |