Hereford United fell to their first defeat of the season last night away at the Abbey Stadium live on Sky TV. Cambridge United took the lead before half time and went on to win 2-1, after Guy Ipoua had netted an equaliser for the visitors. Graham Turner named, as expected, an unchanged side following the first day victory.
The Us started well with John Turner forcing a save from Mawson after his strike partner, Folawiyo Onibuje, flicked on a cross. Onibuje was at the heart of most of the hosts attacks and caused endless problems for the Hereford defence with his physical presence and power. The Bulls had a good penalty claim early on when Ipoua headed Brady's cross and the ball appeared to hit a defenders arm but the referee waved away the shouts.
David Bridges headed over after attacking a cross from the left with a late run while Dean Beckwith nodded Alex Jeannin's corner over. Hereford began to take a hold of the game and it was Andy Ferrell who went close after a good break from defence. Man of the match Ryan Green collected a cross field ball and swung the ball into the near post where Ferrell beat the 'keeper to the ball but his shot was off target. Adam Stansfield headed wide before Brady went as close as anyone had came. Tamika Mkandawire broke up a prolonged Cambridge spell and brought the ball out of defence, played a one-two and the delivered a cross for Brady, who volleyed towards the far post but the ball bounced inches wide.
However, moments before the half time break, the hosts were in front. Tony James, for some reason known only to him, attempted to dribble the ball out of defence between two opposing players. Inevitably, he was dispossessed and The Us had fired the ball beyond Craig Mawson before you knew it. Steven Smith fired the ball in from twenty yards to make it 1-0. Ipoua attempted to level things up before the break but his shot on the turn was off target.
Stacey Coldicott saw his volley held after Brady's corner was only half cleared at the start of the second half before David Chick was booked for hand ball on the edge of his own penalty area. Brady was unable to take advantage of the chance and shot wide though. Turner made his first change with Rob Purdie replacing Ferrell early on in the half and within five minutes Hereford had equalised, not before Onibuje had headed wide and Brady had fired over from twenty yards.
The Bulls won a corner and on hand at the far post was Ipoua who powered a header into the bottom corner from Jeannin's deep cross. The goal spurred the Bulls on and for a while it looked as though there would only be one winner. Green played a neat ball down the flank to Ipoua, who held up play before finding Stansfield in the box. Stansfield layed it on for Green who hammered a left footed drive towards the top corner, but it was superbly kept out by Darren Behcet. He dropped the ball though and Brady was quickly on the scence to hit a rebound but Behcet completed a great double save.
Beckwith picked out Jeannin on the left with a good long ball and Ipoua was unfortunate not to get on the end of the Frenchman's cross as it was turned behind by Chick. Then, against the run of play, The Us found themselves in front once again. A high ball into the box was headed away by Mkandawire but fell nicely for Turner. His volleyed shot was closed down by James, but it fell kindly to Bridges who managed to slip the ball in from a tight angle. Coldicott was replaced by Danny Carey-Bertram in attempt to change fortunes by the Hereford manager.
There was more poor play by Hereford at the back and they almost gifted Cambridge a third goal. Sub Parys Okai dispossed a defender and delivered a perfect cross for Onibuje at the far post but he managed to head wide while unmarked at the far post. The Whites were given one final chance in injury time when Ipoua was felled on the edge of the box having already skinned two opponents. Brady hit the free kick off the wall and it fell to Mkandawire, but he scooped a volley over the bar from three yards.
Having not built on the home success of the first day of the season will be very dissapointing for Hereford. They will be even more frustrated with the defeat as it was not really deserved. The Bulls will feel that they did enough to gain at least a draw from the game but in the end a defensive mistake has cost them dearly. There is, though, plenty of time to make up any lost ground following this 2-1 defeat in front of a gate of 2,924.
HUFC Team: Mawson, James, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Green, Coldicott, Ferrell, Brady, Ipoua, Stansfield. Subs: Blewitt, Brown, Purdie, Stanley, Carey-Bertram.
CUFC Team: Behcet, Gleeson, Peters, Duncan, Chick, Smith, Bridges, Quinton, Angel, Turner, Onibuje. Subs: Okai, Daniels, Nolan, Robbins, Duffy.