Guy Madjo starred and got the equaliser, once again, as Forest Green Rovers came from behind to draw with Hereford United for the second time this Christmas period. Both sides had notched up impressive victories on the weekend and having drawn a week ago, the pre-match form gave the impression of a good game to come.
Hereford were unchanged from the side that started against Exeter other than Ryan Green being named on the bench as Darren Blewitt's loan spell with the club has ended. United continued from where they left off against The Grecians and came out at Rovers, and dominated the opening half. Guy Ipoua found Andy Williams to the right of the box for The Bull's first chance, and the youngster turned inside his man only to see his low shot saved by Ryan Clarke.
Although in almost complete control, United were finding it difficult to break through the Forest Green defence. Rob Purdie was threatening with the ball at his feet but was severely lacking when it came to the end product. The hosts then enjoyed a spell where the won three consecutive corners, but at the end of it Rovers broke through Madjo, who found Ben Harding but he directed his effort just the wrong side of the far post. Harding again went close soon after, but once again just missed the target before the deadlock was broken on the half hour mark.
United had a free kick twenty yards out and Pitman centred it for Alex Jeannin to run onto. The pass was closed down, forcing Jeannin to side-step the defender before unleashing a powerful effort that was parried away by Clarke. Adam Stansfield was the quickest to react to it and he managed to turn it into the corner of the net from ten yards out. United continued to have the better of things, but didn't come close again before half time, other than when Stansfield was beaten to a ball over the top from Williams, by Clarke, who headed into the path of Craig Stanley. Stanley looked up to see an open goal, but shot just wide from thirty five yards out.
The first had been a poor encounter in truth, so it was hoped that things would improve in the second. Forest Green looked the more dangerous of the two sides though, and Madjo, a constant threat, almost levelled things up when he met Harding's free kick with his head, but could only direct it straight at Wayne Brown. However, with just under an hour gone, Madjo finally got the better of Brown and his defence. He muscled off the challenge from Dean Beckwith as a high ball came into the box, turned well and slotted the ball in, albeit via the inside of the post, from inside the six yard area with the angle against him.
Purdie had a tame shot saved easily as United really struggled in the final third against a stern and strong defence and so, with twenty five minutes remaining, Graham Turner made a triple substitution. Green, Danny Carey-Bertram and Jon Brady were introduced in place of Pitman, Stansfield and Williams. Green was sent on in centre midfield, a position that he is not familiar with. Stansfield will have been disappointed to be replaced when he'd been far more effective than Ipoua.
Carey-Bertram had a shot on the turn blocked, following a cross from man of the match Jeannin who'd been set away down the left flank from a good ball by Stanley while at the other end Alex Meechan had crossed just beyond Madjo at the far post. Carey-Bertram shot over from twenty yards following a break through the middle from Green and a final chance fell to Purdie in the box, but his effort was deflected behind for a corner.
The final whistle ended a disappointing Christmas period for The Bulls, as they collected just five points from a possible nine. The midfield seems to be an area where Hereford were poor, not for the first time, today and with the transfer window now open, it would be no suprise if Turner was to invest in a centre midfielder. With other results generally going in Herefords' favour, they fall just once place to seventh. They will be hoping to make some ground back up next Saturday when they travel to Scarborough, a side struggling in the league, like Forest Green have been.
HUFC: Brown, Travis, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Purdie, Pitman, Stanley, Williams, Stansfield, Ipoua. Subs: Green, Mawson, Brady, Evans, Carey-Bertram.
FGRFC: Clarke, Simpson, Alsop, Richardson, Graham, Searle, Gadsby, Wanless, Harding, Meechan, Madjo.Subs: Garner, Sall, Teixeira,Rendell, Harrison.