With Gatehead the visitors at Edgar Street tomorrow BN looks back to March 1998, the last time the two clubs met in Herefordshire. Here's a report on that game written by Peter Povall.
March 14th 1998:
HEREFORD United 1 Gateshead 0
HEREFORD United 1 Gateshead 0
Considering that Hereford are pretty much out of the running this season a crowd of 2,007 turned out to see them extend their undefeated run to seven matches with a clean sheet run of six.
Bottom team Gateshead were never seen as an easy kill as they have everything to play for as the end of the season nears and relegation looms large over their shoulders. The statistics were against them though as they have yet to win a game away from home this season. Hereford though had no intention of becoming their first away blood.
The game started at a furious pace with Gateshead pushing hard, showing they were here to win. They generated chance after chance as they cut through the United defence which has started to show the lack of Richard Walker who is currently suspended.
The opportunities had started at the other end though as Brian McGorry grazed the post with a free kick in the opening minutes. The play quickly moved to United's goal and the busy Andy Quy.
The first chance Gateshead had came down to Paul Proudlock as he received a sailing cross from Steve Bowey which he headed into the bottom corner, having it pushed out for a corner by Andy Quy at full stretch.
Minutes later Gateshead missed a real sitter when their easy tap-in was sent wide of the post with the defence looking on.
By the time Tony Agana opened the scoring in the 68th minute, Hereford could easily have been three goals down had the finishing of Gateshead been better. The United defence was not at its best and the attacking line-up appeared to miss the confidence of Neil Grayson who will be sadly missed.
Agana's goal was justly deserved by Hereford as they had controlled the majority of the second half as Gateshead started to tire. Brian McGorry started the move by sending Ian Rodgerson down the wing where he beat a rushing defender and crossed the ball quickly and accurately to Tony Agana who flicked the ball on and into the back of the net past the diving Dean Williams.
Ian Rodgerson could also have added another when he again beat the Gateshead defence but lifted his shot over the bar.
The game was full of "interesting" decisions by referee P Gibbs of Birmingham who had kept the game full of surprises. A number of occassions come to mind where the team sending the ball out of play are awarded throw-ins, keepers are awarded goal kicks having just pushed the ball out of play and corners were awarded almost for fun.
A number of disturbing decisions were made though where a clear advantage play was available. On one occassion Gavin Mahon had beaten two defenders only to be felled having just played the ball through to Jamie Pitman who was clear on goal. The whistle blew and the play brought back. Pitman was lucky not to get booked for dissent as his objections were made load and clear.
Gateshead's Paul Proudlock did manage to get himself sent off for two bookable offences. The first for dissent and the second for a blatent foul on Brian McGorry.
Altogether another good match, although not one of the better ones but a victory is a victory regardless of how its dressed.
HEREFORD (5-3-2): Quy; Rodgerson, Fishlock, Pitman, Brough, Matthewson; Warner, McGorry, Cook; Agana, Mahon. Subs (not used): Mansell, Williams, Hill