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Next Game: Rushall At Home In The League On Saturday 30th November At 3.00pm

Friday, April 15, 2005

Halifax game will be tough

Graham Turner, the Hereford United manager, has told BBC Hereford and Worcester that he thinks tomorrow's match with Halifax will be tough but says that the 3-1 win over Forest Green last Tuesday will have boosted his squad.

"We will go to Halifax with that little bit more confidence about us. It takes the pressure off a little bit.

"It's three great games to finish with I think. Three teams that could be in contention. Certainly Halifax already are. Accrington, the last match, could still be in contention.

"It's what football is all about. There's plenty at stake at the moment."

Meanwhile Graham Turner has told the Official Website that Jamie Pitman still has a problem with his shoulder popping in and out of the socket.

"He will have an operation on it as soon as the season is over and he deserves credit for how well he is doing to get through games. Hopefully it will get no worse between now and May and that will mean that he remains available for us right through until the end of the season."

Opponents Halifax Town will "throw the kitchen sink" at Hereford tomorrow according to Halifax Today. Manager Chris Wilder says victory over the Bulls will put the Shaymen back on track.

"We have one of the best home records in the Conference and Hereford will know they are in for one hell of a game. Make no mistake, they are going to get the full kitchen sink thrown at them."

Halifax can not afford to lose this match although a draw would still give them some hope of making the play-offs.

"Defeat will kill us - it is unthinkable," admitted Wilder. "But I think there is only Carlisle and Hereford who could afford to swallow a defeat at this stage of the season.

"Even Hereford will be under pressure to get to the finishing line as quickly as possible.

"A few weeks ago people will have regarded us as favourites because we were second in the table. I doubt whether they will still look at it that way. I never thought we were favourites back them, but I certainly don't think we are out of it now.
The players realise that and that gives us half a chance."

Tomorrow's game is the biggest at the Shay since Town faced Brighton in May 2001 when they needed a draw to avoid the drop. Wilder watched that game from the stands and sees few similarities between that and the game against the Bulls.

"That was a game in which we had to do well to avoid failure," he said. "Tomorrow's is a game we are looking to win to turn a good season into a great season.

"It will be a different sort of pressure against Hereford."

Wilder will have to shuffle his pack to cope with the loss of skipper Steve Bushell in midfield and that could mean switching to a 4-3-3 formation.