Hereford United drew 0-0 away at Accrington Stanley this afternoon in the F.A. Trophy. It was the third time United had visited the Interlink Express Stadium and, since Stanley's return to the Conference, it was the first time they avoided defeat. The two sides will now meet this coming Tuesday at Edgar Street in a replay to decide the tie.
Hereford were without Tamika Mkandawire, Andy Tretton and Rob Purdie through injury so had to change the team to deal with these absentees. Danny Carey-Bertram was demoted to the bench after a good performance at Burton in the week, and Andy Williams, who went off a minute from the end at Eton Park, was not named amongst the subs. Jamie Pitman was recalled to the starting line up as was Adam Stansfield, but Mark Robinson remained on the bench. Joe Anyinsah, signed on loan from Bristol City, started in the midfield.
The game began well for the Bulls with an incident that could have led to Accrinton 'keeper Paul Critchon receiving a red card when he punched the ball in the air on the edge of his box and then caught it outside of it. The referee gave a free kick but Critchon avoided further discipline. Danny Williams took the free kick but it was headed behind by Lee McEvily. Anyinsah made a good impression on the travelling 120 or so Bulls fans, but did not quite look match fit. His good run from around half way resulted in Critchon saving low from the shot inside the area.
Craig Stanley was booked before he was set up by David Brown little more than twenty yards out, but his effort hit a defender and went out for a corner. Williams had a shot blocked from a similar position and then collected the ball on the right, from where he crossed for Stansfield who headed over at the near post as a pretty uneventful first half, in which Craig Mawson in the Hereford goal had very little to do, came to a close.
Good work by Brown resulted in United's first chance of the second half when he kept the ball in play, cut it back for Anyinsah who dinked a ball into the box towards Williams, but he was just beaten to it by the outstretched finger tips of the goalie. Immediately down the other end, Simon Travis' poor header back towards Mawson was latched onto by McEvily but his effort was straight at the thankful 'keeper. Brown worked a good opening for Pitman, whose low effort from twenty five yards was easy for Critchon while Tony James made an important headed clearance in United's defence after Rory Prendergast had won a corner off Ryan Green.
Stansfield got the better of Robbie Williams on the left but Brown's shot was blocked and then Pitman blasted over. McEvily went close with a header following a free kick for Accrington before lively Hereford sub Carey-Bertram, who replaced Brown, found Stanley in space but his shot was closed down and deflected for a corner. United's other sub Lee Mills, on for Stansfield, flicked the ball down to Williams after a long ball from the defence, but Williams' effort was just over. Prendergast linked up well with McEvily on the left, and the striker got the better of James and would have got a good shot away had it not been for a last ditch challenge by Green.
Paul Mullin was first onto a long ball over the Hereford defence and he beat the onrushing Mawson to the ball, but could not direct his shot on target. Carey-Bertram had the last real chance of the game, but his powerful effort from twenty five yards out flew over the bar.
The crowd of 945 received a fair amount of entertainment for a 0-0 draw, which could have gone either way. Hereford were not on top of their game, but put in a much improved performance than had been seen in recent weeks. The was more determination shown from the Hereford players although the "long ball" game is still being played far too much.
HUFC Team: Mawson, Green, Travis, Tom Smith, James, Danny Williams, Pitman, Stanley, Anyinsah, Stansfield, Brown. Subs: Scott, Carey-Bertram, Hyde, Mills, Robinson.
ASFC: Crichton, Howarth, Cavanagh, Flynn, Williams, Brannan, Jagielka, Craney, McEvilly, Mullin, Prendergast. Subs: Alcock, Proctor, Flitcroft, Cook, Butler