Patched up Bulls remain unbeaten at Edgar St.

SeeBlocker watched the game for Bulls News

Captain Luke Graham With Today's Mascots

Hereford’s injury crisis saw Leadbitter being replaced by Collins at right back. In midfield Forest Green loanee Green started in favour of Artus, who was named on the bench. O’Keefe’s broken arm will keep him out for a number of games so Purdie came in to replace him in the centre of midfield.

The game started off with the Bulls attacking the Blackfriars end and Walker cut inside his man but his shot was well wide of the upright. Hereford created some more half-chances in the following minutes, but the ball was picked up by the keeper from beneath West’s feet.

An early foul on Welling’s Pires, just outside the box, saw the free kick curl around the two man wall and was parried by Evans the follow up came to nothing.  A scuffed pass found West but once again, the shot went agonisingly wide.

After the Bulls managed to win a corner, it was taken short and then delivered into the box. Welling cleared and the keeper wiped out Walker in the process of clearing.  Walker received a ball on the wing and ran into space down the right. His man closed him down and Hereford won another corner. A headed half clearance was made and the second ball went out for a Hereford throw. A long throw by Bush was cleared for yet another corner. A moment of uncertainty followed as Lee Butcher fumbled the ball but managed to hold on.

Overall, the first half was a pretty dull affair.

HT: Hereford 0 Welling 0

The Bulls came out unchanged after the break, but seemed to have a bit more urgency in their play.

After four minutes of the second period, Smith nipped down the left wing to provide a decent cross straight into the hands of the Wings’ keeper who could only push the ball to Sharp who bundled the ball over the line.

Chris Sharp Scores - Action Pictures From Andy Compton Of The Hereford Journal

 Hereford 1 Welling 0

Loick Pires raced through the centre of Hereford’s defence and sent his shot well wide. A corner was given by the referee much to the surprise and disgust of the Hereford defence. The corner dropped into the box and Bergqvist challenged Bush unfairly and gave away a free kick.

A penalty claim for the Bulls after 57 minutes was waved away by the referee after Smith appeared to be impeded in the box.

The Bulls were eager to double their lead and once Smith had collected the ball on the left, he got around his man and sent in a good cross. The resulting corner was delivered and headed powerfully by McDonald but was a yard too high.

A double substitution saw Sharp and West leave the field to make way for Rankine and Artus. Rankine appeared to have recovered from his knee problem and was soon to make his mark when his marker received a bloody nose. 

BN Pic

An Artus shot from 20 yards could only be parried by the keeper and the ball fell to the feet of Rankine. He clinically struck the ball past Butcher to score Hereford’s second although, most in the ground thought he was at least 3 yards offside, apart from the linesman.

Rankine Scores Hereford's Second

But Looks At The Lineman To Check It's Been Given

In the fourth minute of injury time, the ball was played into the box and in the ensuing goalmouth scramble the ball eventually went over the line by Lafayette as a consolation goal.

FT: Hereford 2 – 1 Welling

Att: 1,527

Sponsers’ MOTM: Purdie

Hopefully this result will breed confidence amongst the camp especially with the current injury situation. We’re still not firing on all cylinders but with Purdie in centre midfield along with the recent addition of Green, the midfield looks more solid.

Hereford: Evans; Collins, McDonald, Graham, Bush; Walker, Green, Purdie, West (Artus 75); Smith, Sharp (Rankine 75). Subs not used: Gwynne, Brown, Harris.

Welling: Butcher, Bergqvist, Franks, Hudson, Jake Obersteller, Dyer, Gallagher, Clarke, Healy, Pires (Hughes-Mason 75), Lafayette. Subs not used: Turner, Joe Obersteller, Day.

Cards: Yellow for McDonald, Purdie and Welling’s Clarke

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