After a goalless first half, Hereford United ripped Scarborough apart at Edgar Street with four goals after the break. Graham Turner handed debuts to Dean Beckwith, Alex Jeannin, Andy Ferrell, Stacy Coldicott, Jon Brady and star of the show, Guy Ipoua. (pictured at the open day)
Scarborough enjoyed the opening spell with some prolonged possession although it was the hosts who threatened first when Jeannin's dangerous cross from the left was headed behind. Clear cut chances were hard to come by in this tough opening half, which saw two very determined teams foil each others attacks.
It was United who almost took the lead midway through the half after some good build up play. Ferrell played the ball into Ipoua who, with his back to his marker, flicked the ball around the defender, and sprinted through on goal. The Cameroonian did everything right and fired beyond the reach of Leigh Walker in the Boro goal, but was denied by the near post.
Ryan Green had a good opportunity when his run into the box from the right was picked out with a good pass, but he took an extra touch forcing him wide. The Welshman managed to cut the ball back across goal where Adam Stansfield attempted to force the ball over the line but the danger was cleared.
Scarborough's first chance did not come until just in the second half, but they will look back on this missed opportunity and perhaps mark that as a changing point in the game. Jeannin mis-judged a left wing delivery, allowing it to go over his head and Ashley Lyth was behind him to direct a header goalwards. Craig Mawson came to Jeannin's rescue and plucked the ball out of the air to keep the scoreline level.
Ipoua, whose power and pace caused problems for the Seadog's defence all afternoon, hit a Green cross against the cross bar, triggering a goalmouth scramble where Stansfield also had a good chance to net. Then, United were incensed as they were denied what appeared to be a fairly clear cut penalty. Jeannin went to head a cross at the far post, and in doing so was caught on the head by a flying Scarborough foot. The referee, though, amazingly ignored the claims and allowed play to continue, even though Jeannin was on the floor with a head injury.
Finally though, The Bulls did get their breakthrough and it was a debutant who opened his Hereford account. Jeannin took a corner from the right and up leapt Beckwith at the near post to glance a header towards goals. It flew beyond Walker and hit the underside of the bar before bouncing into the gaping net in front of a packed Meadow End.
From then on it was all one way traffic as the floodgates opened and the Bulls did not hesistate in taking full advantage. Other than a one off attack for the visitors, in which Mawson did well to come out and deny Mark Quayle, The Bulls dominated fully and played some fantastic football much to the delight of the Edgar Street crowd of 3105.
Hereford's second goal followed five minutes later when Green knocked the ball back to Brady on the right flank and he swung in an inch perfect cross to Ipoua. Ipoua held off the challenge from his marker and met the ball with a diving header, sending the ball underneath the diving goalkeeper.
Rob Purdie was introduced in Brady's place, he had been booked, with fifthteen minutes remaining and Carey-Bertram replaced Stansfield on eighty three minutes, two minutes before the Bulls made it three. The Bulls broke quickly after a Boro corner through Green. He raced forward before releasing a pass to Ipoua, but his shot was pushed away. Luckily though, it fell right into the path of Green, who'd continued his run, and he hammered the ball into the back of an empty net.
Ipoua received a standing ovation as he left the field of play, and Craig Stanley took his place. In the final minute the rout was completed in a move that involved all three of the substitutes. Rob Purdie burst forward before sliding a pass into the path of Stanley's run, just in the penalty box, but his low show was pushed away by Walker, but Carey-Bertram was on hand to fire home to make it 4-0 to the Bulls.
There were many happy faces seen leaving Edgar Street this afternoon, having witnessed what was a very good opening day of the season for United. The team was organised in defence and looked full of ideas going forward. After a tough first half, Hereford broke down their opponents and went on to demolish them, sending out a stern message to the rest of the Conference. They will be eager to follow this result up though, when they make the trip to Cambridge United on Tuesday night, in front of Sky TV cameras.
HUFC: Mawson, James, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Green, Jeannin, Coldicott, Ferrell, Brady, Stansfield, Ipoua. Subs: Blewitt, Brown, Purdie, Stanley, Carey-Bertram.
SFC: Walker, Elebert, Weaver, Baker, Lyth, Bishop, Hackworth, Clark, Nicholson, Quayle, Wake. Subs: Foot, Pecora Redfearn, Eccles, Palmer.