.png)
Hereford United notched up their fourth successive league victory after beating Chesterfield 2-0 at Edgar Street this afternoon in front of 3503 spectators, with 267 in support for the visitors. Again, the loan duo of Sherjill Macdonald and Gary Hooper were the heroes as both grabbed goals in the first half. The second half was a poor spectacle but United were comfortable and held on for the points which takes them to second in League Two.
Dean Beckwith returned to the starting line-up with Lee Collins dropping out altogether. Midfield duo Ben Smith and Toumani Diagouraga failed to recover from injuries, leaving Kris Taylor to partner Sam Gwynne in the middle of the park. Robbie Threlfall made a welcome return with the on loan Liverpool left-back named amongst the subs bench. Chesterfield were without top goalscorer Jack Lester through injury, but named former Torquay striker Jamie Ward up top alongside Steve Fletcher. Recent loan signing Lloyd Kerry started on the bench.
The first real talking point of the match came when The Bulls took the lead. Taylor curled a cross in from the right hand side and Easton flicked on. The ball fell to Macdonald who got the slightest of touches to divert past the helpless Michael Jordan. Soon after, Kerry was introduced for Jamie Lowry, who had picked up an injury following a tackle from Hooper. A neat head-down by Fletcher allowed Alan O'Hare to send a half-volley past the post, whilst Fletcher himself had a good opportunity after meeting a deep cross from the right-hand side with his head, but the ball dropped just over the upright.
Clint Easton saw his free-kick be deflected out for a corner, whilst at the other end Ward shot into the body of Wayne Brown after a counter-attack. Taylor, who looked at home in the central midfield role, bought the ball down well on the edge of the box but failed to hit the target with a right-foot shot. A long free-kick by stand in captain Richard Rose allowed Dean Beckwith to flick on for his defensive partner John McCombe, who tried his luck with an acrobatical effort which went close. On the stroke of half-time, Hooper doubled the advantage. Again, it started from the right-hand side and a left-foot cross, this time from Easton's free-kick. The ball wasn't cleared fully, and Hooper controlled from eight yards before drilling past Jordan to make it two.
The Whites made a tactical change at half-time with Threlfall making a first-team return in place of Gwynne. The Liverpool man played on left-wing, with Easton pushing into central midfield with Taylor. The second period offered little in terms of chances, with Ward wasting a free-kick from a good position by sending it into the back of the Meadow End. Kevin Cooper went closer with a low left foot shot from 25 yards, which made Brown dive but the ball whistled past the post. United nearly made it three when Macdonald met an inswinging Easton corner, but Jordan blocked the Dutchman's effort at the back-post. At the other end, Janos Kovacs worked an opening after collecting from Fletcher's head-down, but the Hungarian's shot was blocked.
Theo Robinson replaced Macdonald, who again received a fantastic applause for his efforts. The game fizzed out in the closing periods, with Brown making a good save from Kerry after the young midfielder had turned Easton and shot goalwards with his left-foot. Veteran striker Wayne Allison replaced Cooper, whilst Trevor Benjamin came on for Hooper, who like Macdonald received a deserved ovation. Good work down the right-hand side from Trent McClenahan gave Simon Johnson the chance to run at the Chesterfield defence and shoot goalwards, but Jordan held with ease. The second-half failed to match the first-half, but Hereford fans won't be complaining as United held on comfortably.
After the 4-0 drubbing that Hereford received at Saltergate, today's result was pleasing especially as it keeps The Bulls automatic promotion hopes up. United never had to get into top gear during the game and looked relatively comfortable throughout the game. In particular, the defensive duo of Beckwith and McCombe were solid and both will be pleased with the clean sheet whilst in the middle of the park, Taylor worked hard and showed good composure when on the ball. Next up for Hereford is another home game against basement side Wrexham.
Hereford: Brown, McClenahan, McCombe, Beckwith, Rose, Johnson, Gwynne, Taylor, Easton, Hooper, Macdonald.
Subs: Ingham, Broadhurst, Threlfall, Benjamin, Robinson.
Chesterfield: Jordan, Moloney, Kovacs, Lowry, Picken, Winter, O'Hare, Cooper, Downes, Ward, Fletcher.
Subs: Roche, Gray, Kerry, Williams, Allison.