Hereford United bowed out of this season’s FA Cup as a first half penalty awarded when McGlashan conned the referee and despite a Clucas equaliser the visitors went on to earn a third round place with a late extra time header from Kaid Mohamed.
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| Edgar About To Score With A Swede Before Kick-Off |
The Bulls kicked off attacking the Meadowend and Harrod immediately fouled Pell as The Robbins set an early tone to their performance. A Cheltenham corner was cleared at the second attempt before Pell sent Bowman away to earn a corner at the other end which was scrambled clear at the back post. McGlashan caused concern as he sent a ball across the danger area leaving Gallinagh having to concede a corner to settle the nerves. Evans was slow to get up after being upended in midfield before Bowman went down injured when sandwiched between two defenders and took lengthy treatment before leaving the field and having to give way to substitute Phil Marsh. Without their talisman striker, this was always going to be an uphill battle for the short-staffed Bulls.
Evans sent Marsh scurrying into the box but keeper Brown was out to gather in the nick of time. Smikle slid a ball across to Pell before being scythed to the ground after the ball had gone but referee Whitestone turned a blind eye but then immediately penalised Heath for a perfectly timed challenge on Penn. O’Keefe fed Clucas and he cut into the box to fire at goal but Brown brought off a fine save. Zebroski tried a shot on the turn, which Bittner casually watched skid a couple of yards wide of the mark before the referee further incensed the home crowd. Evans clearly won the ball in a 50/50 challenge with Penn but when the former Kidderminster player crashed to the floor and writhed around in supposed agony Mr Whitehouse awarded a free kick and produced a yellow card. Naturally, Penn was running around like a spring chicken moments later. McGlashan switched to the left and forced Bittner to tip over from a close range header and from the corner Zebroski was penalised for climbing al over Harry Pell.
Will Evans sent a speculative effort wide before Marsh drew another fine save from Brown as he cut out a low cross to prevent Smikle a chance at the back post. Clucas almost got the better of Brown when his first touch set him up for a spanking shot which was turned round the post. Then with half time approaching the referee made a controversial decision, which was to eventually decide the game.
McGlashan approached The Bull’s box from the left with Gallinagh just goalside. The tricky winger appeared to drag Gallinagh’s shoulder as he edged past on the outside but then threw himself to the ground and despite being well placed to see the incident Whitehouse pointed to the spot. Roars of “cheat “ rang out from The Merton Stand as Harrod crashed home from twelve yards.
HT Bulls 0 Cheltenham 1
A couple of early second half attacks from each team came to little as The Bulls clearly missed the presence of Bowman. Penn cynically chopped Pell to the ground as he looked to break upfield but typically, the referee failed to produce a card. An Evans free kick cannoned off a defender for a corner then Zebroski pulled back Gallinagh as the visitors totted up foul after foul without so much as a finger wagging from Mr Whitehouse.
Marley Watkins made his long-awaited return as replacement for Evans before Marsh teed up Clucas for a snap shot that went straight at Brown. McGlashan threw himself to the ground again when he was actually behind Gallinagh but soon left the field to howls of derision as he was replaced by Pack. Good play by The Bulls allowed Pell to dink a ball into the path of Watkins but his shot sailed high over the bar. United were showing as much threat as their higher graded opponents despite conceding the greater share of possession. Stefan Stam was dominant at the back while Luke Graham also got in a series of timely interceptions then with fifteen minutes remaining the equaliser arrived.
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| Clucas Celebrates His Equaliser - Picture From Andy Compton Of The Hereford Journal |
The Bulls attacked The Blackfriars in the first period and Cheltenham shaded the half without any major threats on goal. The pattern continued after the break and The Bulls depleted team eventually conceded on the 114th minute. Jones whipped a cross in from the left and Mohamed rose to glance a header past Bittner and just inside the far post.
Martin Foyle threw on Kyle Perry in place of Gallinagh going with just three at the back as The Bulls piled forward in search of a late goal in the final few minutes. Mohamed and Duffy both conceded free kicks, which were launched into the box with Bittner joining at one point, but the whistle came too soon to give the very large majority of the 5026 crowd what they wanted
FT Bulls 1 Cheltenham 2
Hereford: Bittner, Gallinagh (Perry 115), Graham, Stam, Heath, Smikle, Pell, O’Keefe, Evans (Watkins 60), Clucas, Bowman (Marsh 15). Subs not used: Hanford, Clist, McQuilkin.
Cheltenham: Brown, Jombati, Bennett, Elliott, Jones, McGlashan (Pack 69), Penn (Mohamed 76), Carter, Taylor, Zebroski, Harrad (Duffy 72). Subs not used: Roberts, Lowe, Deering, D’Ath.
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| Stam Talking To Mark Yates After The Game - Picture From Andy Compton Of The Hereford Journal |
While the visitors showed glimpses of better attention to detail, United were never out of the game and there is no doubt tht the penalty decision was harsh in the extreme. The challenge, had it been on the halfway line, would probably not have drawn a whistle. You also wonder why McGlashan’s tug on Gallinagh to get past him was any different to the brush of an arm which apparently caused both legs to strangely give way. I guess this is what is, in some circles, described as clever.
See you Saturday.