Hereford United crashed to a first-day defeat at Roots Hall against Southend United. An early header from defender cum striker Bilel Mohsni was enough to seal the points for Paul Sturrock’s men in front of 5,105 spectators, which included around 250 fans who had made the long journey from Herefordshire.
Jamie Pitman opted to start with a defensive partnership of Ryan Green and Stefan Stam, owing to a suspension which ruled out Michael Towsend. Danny Williams was included on the bench, which signals that the winger has signed some form of contract with the club. The hosts had just one fit striker, with Millwall legend Neil Harris included, whilst former Stockport County star Liam Dickinson passed a fitness test to take his place among the subs.
Southend more than dominated the first-half, with Hereford unable to find any sort of rhythm. Jemal Johnson’s individual skill saw him flick the ball up and volley wide from an acute angle, before Harris scuffed wide after two aerial challenges in the Bulls’ box went defensively unchallenged. That was warning enough for Hereford as they succumbed to another free header to find themselves one down. Ryan Hall cut back on to his preferred left-foot, on the right-wing, to whip a cross towards the back-post where Mohsni had peeled off his marker to guide a header past Adam Bartlett.
The hosts continued to threaten aerially, with Mohsni making a nuisance of himself throughout. A free-kick from the left was pushed over by Bartlett, after Mohsni had out battled Stam in the air. Hereford’s only effort of any note in the first-period fell to James McQuilkin, after some neat one-touch football, the midfielder fired a lacklustre strike well-wide. At the other end, Bartlett had to be alert to stop a dangerous free-kick strike from Ryan Hall, whilst good work by Harris chasing down a long-ball saw him find the forward run of Anthony Grant, and his toe-poke went across goal before going out for a goal-kick.
The early signs in the second-half were that Hereford had upped their game a little, showing more passion, yet it was still the home side who were threatening the most. Harris started and nearly finished a move, as he raced into the box to meet a cross by Hall with a pin-point header inches over the bar. McQuilkin saw a free-kick hit the wall before a second-attempt was then blocked, before Hereford bought on Yoann Arquin for Stuart Fleetwood, which sparked energy into the Bulls’ attack. The French striker immediately put himself about, and tried his luck, although rather hopelessly from 30 yards. Southend should have been two goals to the good however, with a frantic few seconds inside the box. A deep cross allowed Harris to head back across Bartlett, with Joe Colbeck managing to clear, before more pinball followed, and a poked attempt by Harris striking the post with Bartlett finally claiming.
The final ten or so minutes saw the Bulls pressure the Southend back-line, with Harry Pell’s pass finding Colbeck, and the former Bradford winger striking just past the far post, with a deflected effort. Sturrock introduced Lee Sawyer, in place of Johnson to try sure up the left-hand side, which Hereford were starting to find some joy down. Colbeck had another effort deflected wide after a free-kick wasn’t cleared, whilst Pell’s powerful 25 yard shot failed to trouble Glenn Morris. In the final few minutes, Mohsni headed straight at Bartlett after a right-footed delivery by Sean Clohessy, before both Kane Ferdinand and Dickinson were introduced, having replaced Mohsni and Grant. Dickinson nearly made himself an instant hero, twisting on the edge of the area before curling goal wards and striking the top of the bar, having seen his shot take a slight nick off Green.
It was a frustrating start for Hereford, as they struggled to get to grips with the physicality of the Southend side. The first 45 minutes were nigh on awful, yet, once Arquin was introduced, there was more belief and energy in the team. Colbeck looked Hereford’s most dangerous attacking threat, showing a good turn of pace, but in truth, there was little confidence that they would be able to pull a goal back. Next up for Pitman and co is the visit of Brentford in the Carling Cup on Tuesday.
Hereford: Bartlett, Purdie, Green, Stam, Heath, Lunt, Pell, McQuilkin, Colbeck, Fleetwood, Facey.
Subs: Hoult, Kovacs, Williams, Canham, Arquin.
Southend: Morris; Clohessy, Phillips, Barker, Prosser; Hall, Grant, Kalala, Johnson, Harris, Mohsni.
Subs not used: Bentley, Crawford, Sawyer, Ferdinand, Dickinson.
Text at top (next game etc)
Next Game: Away At Scunthorpe In The League On Saturday 21st December At 3.00pm