My First Goal (and Second)

Simon Wright explains:

Although I always felt that the Bulls were destined to progress into the Third Round, I did fear that my presence might hamper such progress. Let me elaborate – in five home games this season ( I know … part timer!) I haven’t seen a single United goal. They are a patient bunch in B Block (referees excepted) and didn’t give me that much stick but at the same time, they are a superstitious crew (“you wore that hat last week and we won so you’ve GOT to wear it today!”) A defeat today and … well I didn’t want to think about it.

The day started well in the Hop Pole Craft centre with a free sample of Black Mountain liqeur. I’ve had it before. It was good stuff then and on a cold day like today, ooh just beautiful. I bought a bottle for a gift but December 25 is a long way away and he’d never know if he got a bottle of Bells instead … Actually the day started long before that with dropping Er Indoors off at the Hawthorns to catch a coach to Crystal Palace (£30 adult admission – no thanks, it’s the FA Cup for me), visiting a couple of houses with a view to buying, repairing a cupboard door that dives forward off its hinges better than Aaron McClean but that’s the sort of trivia we all have to endure and you don’t want to hear it from me.

Onto a crowded Merton Meadow car park and, reluctantly just like last week, parked in the overflow section. You get away from there with all the speed of Nicky Law or the B Block turnstile operator. (The B Block guy has speeded up a little recently thankfully.) Still – note to self – just be grateful that car parking is so brilliant at Edgar Street. Few other clubs in the country have such a facility.

From the crowded concrete area, it was a quick march to Waterstones to acquire a signed copy of Mitch’s book. Having endured the whole process myself – late nights, endless proof-reading, re-writes, advertising, practising my autograph, worrying whether anyway will turn up, I have an immediate empathy with any other debutant author. As one notable writer once opined “The best bit? Finishing the damn thing…”

Good old Mitch … actually never met him before in my life yet astonishingly he knew who I was “you’re the guy on Bulls News….” Oh Lord. After pleasantly passing the time of day with this most amicable author, I joined the queue to pay only rather embarrassingly to be recognised again by another supporter as “that bloke on Bulls News”. Oh dear – truly Hereford is a small place.

Heeding the warning to be early, I was back outside the ground shortly after 2pm yet there was nobody at all at the turnstiles. Hmm. I passed some time in the car before entering the ground. I was gently chided by the steward “you can’t come in here, wearing an Albion coat…” I explained that I was trying to change the clubs luck by wearing something new and different. No goals scored in five home games had to be ended. She nodded sagaciously, vastly experienced in the ways of B Block residents who would never walk under a ladder if their life depended on it. Who knows how many big coats in the Block concealed bemused and irritated black cats?

The ever useful electric scoreboard informed us that the referee was A. Hall. Had Glynis of the scribbling pen been around, she would have obtained much literary amusement from this, speculating whether the linos were called respectively B Bedroom and C Conservatory or … I don’t know. Fortunately, for the readership of this mature blog, she was instead putting in a stint in Croydon. “The Boss” does passion and off the wall material, I do facts.

And thinking of facts, the game (at last – they cry) was a remarkably open affair. Pools played their part in a very entertaining fixture by charging forward at every opportunity. Their confidence in front of goal fortunately wasn’t equal to their speedy approach play. Hereford, for me still mourning the inevitable loss of the orchestra man Lionel Ainsworth, looked good in patches. Ben Smith has a great touch and calmness, worthy of a higher stage so too “Diag” and young Sam Gwynne can play a bit - is he in the team to stay? And yet the minutes ticked away and still that goal wasn’t coming. Theo Robinson was his regular self (don’t ever give him a rifle at one of those fairground attractions). 30 minutes, 40 minutes… 45 .. why did I come ?

Thank you John McCombe ..who’d have thought it ! No one celebrated longer and louder than I did. “Get in there!”

The second half was better than the first, with once again both sides willing to push forward. This would have made a far better televised game than the first round match… and the quality of play from the Bulls would not have embarrassed a Championship team. The finishing wasn’t quite there - Theo once endangered the passers-by in the car park, not for the first time. Be patient, I muttered to myself. He’s very young and he can do the rest of the job really well. Remember Steve Bull. And five minutes from time, he (Theo not old man Bull) did us all proud with a shot that found the corner of the net. Well done, that lad! He’s the only Watford forward who scored today.

Two goals in one game seemed actually a dangerous luxury but I’m not going to complain… Good game, good result, definitely worth going … oh and buy Mitch’s book just because he’s a good guy and can offer a mean autograph.

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