A confident and classy Peterborough side completed the double over Hereford United with a 1-0 victory at Edgar Street this afternoon. Darren Ferguson's side took the lead after just three minutes when Aaron McLean latched on to a pass over the top by George Boyd to calmly slot past Peter Gulacsi. Hereford rallied in the second half but created little in front of 3,217, including 364 from Peterborough.
After the mid-week win over Leeds United, Graham Turner kept the same starting line-up with the only change coming on the bench where new signing Michael D'Agostino replaced Craig Jones. The visitors started with Man Utd loanee James Chester at the back playing against two of his team-mates in Sam Hewson and Febian Brandy whilst former Conference trio, Boyd, Craig Mackail-Smith and McLean led the attack for the opposition as per normal.
The first opportunity of the game led to the only goal; Boyd showed good vision to chip a ball over the Bulls' back-line and McLean raced clear to easily sweep the ball past Gulacsi. There were strong appeals for offside and rightly so, McLean looked a yard offside when the ball was played. Hereford responded to the early set-back with a burst from Toumani Diagouraga leading to Steve Guinan having space to run into but he opted for a shot and Joe Lewis held on easily. Sam Gwynne sliced a half-volley wide from 30 yards after Hewson had shifted the ball to him whilst at the other end, McLean followed up a blocked cross to smash a wild shot harmlessly into the Meadow End.
Peterborough should have doubled their advantage after a powerful shot by Russel Martin wasn't held by Gulacsi and the follow-up from McLean should have been dispatched but instead, Gulacsi made up for his earlier error by getting the slightest of touches to divert it wide. Another strong appeal for offside was turned down when Boyd again sent McLean through but this time the former Aldershot striker dragged a left-foot shot past the post. Dean Keates, who was tidy in possession throughout, sent a long-range effort past the post whilst a cross from Guinan was met by Godwin Antwi, but the loanee was leaning back and couldn't create any power in his header. Just before half-time, Gwynne was subbed off with Simon Johnson replacing the youngster for what I assume was a tactical change.
At half-time, Jennison Myrie-Williams was taken off due to injury and Ben Smith replaced him. It led to a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Hewson playing just in front of the defence and Brandy taking up a position out on left-wing. It was the visitors who showed the early attacking intent in the second-half when Charlie Lee fed Boyd down the left and the former Stevenage winger crossed for Mackail-Smith, who had got in front of his marker but somehow put a side-foot shot past the post from close-range. A Kris Taylor free-kick wasn't fully cleared and a follow-up volley from Smith was blocked before Lee, obviously struggling with injury, was replaced by Daniel Blanchett. Diagouraga found space in the middle of the park and was encouraged to shoot but his strike bounced well wide.
Hereford's best chance of the second-half fell to Guinan, after he beat the offside trap, rather belatedly, to meet a forward pass from Richard Jackson with a rasping right-foot shot which dipped just over Lewis's crossbar. Superb work from McLean saw him go close after he controlled, turned and then shot all in one movement with the ball trickling just past the post. Hewson struck wide from long-range as Hereford were limited to long shots before the visitors went close after Boyd turned inside Jackson but saw a right-foot shot hit straight at Gulacsi. Boyd once again fed McLean with a chipped pass and the striker struck into the body of Gulacsi with an early strike. Late on, Chris Whelpdale replaced Lee Frecklington with the winger nearly ending the action with a goal after Mackail-Smith had set him up but his right-foot shot was well stopped by Gulacsi.
After the euphoria of the last two results, Hereford were bought back down to earth by a steady and solid Peterborough team. The Bulls created little in front of goal with the visitors creating the better openings although McLean's goal appeared to be offside. The officials in general were poor, with the one linesman making a number of poor decisions. Hereford will need to re-group and re-focus with a huge week of football coming up starting next Saturday when Leyton Orient visit Edgar Street.
Hereford: Gulacsi, Jackson, Antwi, Rose, Taylor, Gwynne, Hewson, Diagouraga, Myrie-Williams, Guinan, Brandy.
Subs: Veiga, Smith, Done, D'Agostino, Johnson.
Peterborough: Lewis, Martin, Zakauni, Chester, Lee, Mackail-Smith, Coutts, Keates, Frecklington, Boyd, McLean.
Subs: Blanchett, Green, Whelpdale, Torres, Wright.