It was a frustrating evening for the 1,678 Hereford United fans who made trip to The Memorial Stadium to see their side be knocked out of the F.A. Cup at the third round stage against rivals Bristol Rovers. It was the third time the sides have met this season, and on each occasion The Bulls have failed to win.
Hereford had a full squad to choose from and Graham Turner decided to keep the faith in the starting eleven that had kept four clean sheets in the previous games, meaning no return for Dean Beckwith who was over illness and has served his suspension.
Hereford United warming up at the Memorial Ground.
United, spurred on from the large and vocal following, began well but couldn't get an early goal that could have proved vital. Tim Sills headed a cross from Andy Ferrell onto the roof of the net before Rob Purdie went mighty close with a rocket of a shot from twenty five yards. At the other end Stuart Campbell was causing plenty of problems for Hereford's defence, as he went close with a long range drive.
However, Rovers fortunes changed with twenty three minutes gone as they were awarded a penalty. A cross from the left was headed down into the path of Craig Disley, but Wayne Brown had clattered him to the ground, as he attempted to gather the ball, before the could get to it and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Richard Walker stepped up to calmly slot home the penalty, straight down the middle of the goal.
Two minutes later Hereford thought they had a good case for a penalty themselves, but nothing came of their appeals as Aaron Lescott seemed to handle the ball as he bundled it behind for a corner. Ferrell took the resulting set piece and it fell to Sills in the box, but he failed to make a proper connection and 'keeper Steve Phillips saved easily.
Brown was the busier 'keeper of the two, and he was again made to work when Walker made himself some space on the edge of the box. Tamika Mkandawire, who missed most of the game at Wycombe with a groin strain, headed inches wide before Sills did the same thing from a Simon Travis cross. However, United were lucky to go in at the break just one goal behind as with a minute to go Campbell latched onto a flick on, but saw his effort, via the fingertips of Brown, flash wide of the far post.
The second half was less eventful in the way of shots on goal, but it was Hereford who seemingly had the majority of possession. Their distinct lack of creativity cost them dearly though, and it was The Pirates who looked more dangerous in attack. Fifty eight minutes had passed when Luke Webb made way for Andy Williams, and he headed on for Sills to get a shot away, but it was easy work for Phillips.
Lescott had got forward well for the hosts on the right, and delivered an inviting pass across the goal face, which Mkandawire allowed to run past him, but luckily no one else was beyond him. Twenty minutes after the first change Turner introduced Stuart Fleetwood, and changed to a 4-3-3 formation, which had more effect than his first change, though this was not enough still. United lacked urgency, and, despite The Bulls pushing forward casually, it was the hosts who went closest to scoring.
With five minutes left Walker had a free header at the far post, but Brown made a fanstastic diving save and clawed the ball out of the top corner, before Walker again broke through the middle but, again, Brown got the better of him and came out to block his shot. United had their best chance of the half to equalise in injury time when a drop of the shoulder and turn of pace from Fleetwood left his marker for dead. He cut inside from the right and his cross fell to Purdie, but he fired wide from fifteen yards out.
With such a high reward at stake in this game, it was extremely frustrating to lose, and the manner in which it happened did little to help. The penalty that won the game could have been avoided, though United didn't do a lot in reply. The main problem lay in the lack of creativity, though when chances came around, Sills did little to trouble the 'keeper. A lack of balance was evident as well, and with McClenahan suffering a dip in form, questions must be asked as to why Alex Jeannin, player of the month in November, hasn't been included recently.
HUFC: Brown, Gulliver, Mkandawire, Rose, McClenahan, Travis, Ferrell, Webb, Purdie, Connell, Sills. Subs: Giles, Thompson, Sheldon, Williams, Fleetwood.
BRFC: Phillips, Lescott, Hinton, Elliott, Carruthers, Igoe, Disley, Campbell, Sandell, Lambert, Walker. Subs: Ryan, Lines, Rigg, Parrinello, Haldane.