Hereford and Port Vale in 1975

With the Bulls travelling to Port Vale on Tuesday, BN looks back to August and early September 1975 when the two sides met three times in two weeks to decide who went through the second round of the League Cup. And they had already met in the League.

The first game was at Edgar Street on the opening day of the season. 6218 watched a goal-less draw, the first time the Bulls had failed to score in an opening day fixture for 22 years.

Then just two days later the Bulls travelled to Vale for the first leg of the first round of that season's League Cup.

Port Vale took the lead in the 24th minute. A free-kick from Brian Horton was headed on by Derek Brownbill and Mike Cullerton scored with a low angled drive at the far post. Four minutes later it was 2-0 when Gary Dulson raced clear down the left and from his waist high cross Terry Bailey flung himself forward to score with a superb diving header.

It became 3-0 in the 31st minute when a move between Brownbill and Geoff Morris led to Horton finding Cullerton at the far post and he duly scored from a difficult angle.

The Vale fans were in dreamland two minutes before the break when they notched their fourth goal of the match.

Geoff Morris, who lived in a caravan at the time, weaved his way into the box only for Steve Emery to bring him down.

There was only one man to take the penalty and Mick Cullerton scored it to send Vale into half-time 4-0 to the good.

Hereford hit back in the 52nd minute when a cross from former England international Terry Paine led to Jimmy Lindsay, who had recently joined the Bulls from Colchester for £15,000, scoring. Vale were rocked by this and 12 minutes later they made it 4-2.

There was a misunderstanding between John Ridley and goalkeeper John Connaughton allowing Lindsay to nip in and score his second of the game.

At 90 minutes the score remained at 4-2 to Vale.

The second leg took place nine days later at Edgar Street in front of 4107.

The Bulls won the game 2-0 with goals from Steve Ritchie and Roy Carter.

"It was a magnificent result," said Hereford manager John Sillett.

However as the aggregate score was 4-4 and away goals didn't count, there had to be a 'final' game.

This took place at Shrewsbury on September 1st in front of 3637. And the game remained goal-less until the 88th minute when Terry Paine scored to settle the tie.

The Bulls were drawn against Burnley in the second round but were well beaten 4-1.

Vale player Mick Cullerton, who scored a hat-trick in the first leg, remembers the ties.

"It was my first home game after being away for six years and I wasn't sure what reception I would get. You see, I didn't get on with some of the directors and was quite happy to stay at Stafford Rangers and only came back because of Roy Sproson and Reg Berks.

"Even though we went 4-0 up, I think we underestimated them. They gave us a hard game on the previous Saturday and John Layton stood on my nose. They went on to win the championship that season and I wasn't surprised."

Brian Horton was another of the Vale players.

"We were just superb in the first half against Hereford but they showed what a good side they were by fighting back to knock us out."

Sources: The Sentinel, hu-fc.co.uk and The League Era

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