Despite an improved second half performance, Graham Turners men went down to a first half Jim Bentley back post header in Tuesday evenings Edgar Street encounter with former Conference rivals Morecambe.
The Bulls’ boss made two changes from the line up at Lincoln with Edrissa Sonko replacing Craig King and Richard Rose being preferred to young Daniel Preston. Sonko line up on the right of midfield to enable Gavin McCallum to assume a more central strikers role.
An opening thrust saw Hereford win a free kick on the left but the delivery was long and only resulted in a Morecambe goal kick. Constantine released McCallum but when his cross flashed across the goalmouth there was no one attacking the space and the ball was easily cleared. Valentine found McCallum down the left but his flick inside to Constantine was too close to ‘keeper Roche while at the other end, Rose’ hooked clearance struck Jeavens and presented the striker with a shooting chance but Bartlett was quickly out to block. As Morecambe built a head of steam attacking the Meadowend, Valentine showed a good turn of pace to get back for a saving block tackle and Kenny Lunt also blocked a shot on the edge of the box as The Bulls found themselves pinned in their own half. Marc Pugh managed to test Roche with a snap shot but it was Morecambe who took the lead as the clock approached 25 minutes. A cross from the left by Hackney was met at the far post by a thumping Jim Bentley downward header that left Bartlett with little chance.
Shortly afterwards, a Kenny Lunt free kick was met by Ryan Valentine but his mistimed header was gathered by Roche. Then Morecambe missed a glorious chance to double their lead. Bartlett was only able to parry a shot a Duffy shot into the path of Jeavens but with the goal gaping, Jeavens managed to miss the target from just outside the six-yard box. Lunt produced a good through ball to put Constantine clear but Roche was again quickly out to gather. Gavin McCallum was forced to leave the field having received treatment for a jarred knee and was replaced by Manset. The Frenchman was soon into the action cutting in from the left and his low cross was turned into the path of Constantine but the striker was back on his heels and failed to react.
HT HUFC 0 Morecambe 1
The half time pep-talk produced a more spirited Bulls performance with Matty Done replacing the under-par Sonko. Constantine drifted wide to the left and crossed deep to Done who returned the ball inside to Lunt but the midfielder could only sky the ball high over the bar. Marc Pugh made a darting run through the centre and was picked out by Lunt but unfortunately, the ball bounced to safety off a defenders back. Then a couple of determined efforts from Manset were both blocked as The Bulls grafted their way back into the game. A Ryan Green cross found Pugh but his attempted bicycle kick easily cleared the bar before Manset’s centre found Constantine whose effort was just wide. A Morecambe free kick was collected by Bartlett but the keeper failed to spot that Manset was one on one with a lone defender and delayed his release. The unpredictable play of Manset continued to trouble the Morecambe defence while Matty Done’s wide play also caused problems. Constantine did get the ball into the net was ruled to have fouled and a thumping Darren Jones’ header was hacked off the line but Hereford just could find a goal to give themselves what probably would have been a deserved point. The gate was a very poor 1208 with just 36 from the seaside.
FT HUFC 0 Morecambe 1
This was an improved performance on the Macclesfield and Lincoln games and while it might be argued that the visitors should have scored a second through Jeavens, The Bulls also created enough to have had at least a share of the spoils. There wasn’t much between the sides and with a bit of luck and a pair of decent shooting boots, Hereford could have reasonably got their first home point in four attempts.
Hereford: Bartlett, Green, Rose, Jones, Valentine, Pugh, Lunt, McQuilkin, Sonko (Done 46),McCallum (Manset 43), Constantine. Subs unused: Adamson, Preston, Downing, Gwynne, King.
Morecambe: Roche; Parrish, Bentley, Haining, Wilson; Duffy (Curtis 89), Drummond, Panther, Hackney (Wainwright 89); Mullin, Jevons (Stanley 66). Subs unused: Davies, Moss, Artell, Hunter.