Bulls Fall at First Hurdle

Captain Josh O'Keefe And Sam Smith about To Kick-Off Into The Bright Sunlight

United boss Martin Foyle made two changes ahead of today’s FA Trophy match against Woking. Both Chris Bush and Damon Lathrope dropped to the bench in favour of Joel Edwards and Dan Walker respectively.

Dan Walker In The Starting Eleven

With £5000 reward for the winners, this was a game that United needed to win.

The Bulls started off attacking the Blackfriars End and with Artus restored into the heart of midfield, he gifted Sam Smith a great chance to send the Bulls ahead, but his long ball was just out of reach and went out for a Woking goal kick.

Loanee Micah Evans won an early free kick 20 yards out and was taken by Artus. Instead of playing the ball into the Woking box he chose to pass back to Leadbitter who under pressure lost possession and Woking carried the ball into the box and Scott Rendell made no error in burying the ball into the back of Lloyd-Weston’s net.

As soon as United restarted play, Captain O’Keefe fed a ball through to Smith, who blazed his shot well over visiting keeper, Sam Beasent’s goal.

A chance to equalise came after 20 minutes for the Bulls, after O’Keefe headed Edwards’ pin point cross onto the cross bar, but United’s skipper was quickly deemed offside by the linesman.

Artus won possession in the middle of the field, passed to Rankine who set up Walker to make a decent shot from the left, but his effort deflected out. The resulting corner was sent deep into the box, but eventually cleared by Woking’s defence.

With little under 15 minutes remaining of the first period, Jack Marriott managed to double Woking’s lead. After making it past some sloppy Hereford defending, Bulls’ keeper Lloyd-Weston parried Marriott’s shot, only for him to follow up and plant the ball in the far corner of the net.

Sam Smith Fends Off Two Woking Players

Hereford were on the attack when Smith was brought down, winning a free kick in Woking’s half. Artus sent the ball into the box, only for it to be instantly headed away. With Woking retaining possession from the clearance, they wrapped up the game on 37 minutes. Lloyd-Weston made two great parries, but the third shot saw Rendell get his second as he side-footed the ball home.

Rankine missed a great chance of scoring on the stroke of half time, heading a cross from Walker agonisingly wide from 6 yards.

The Soup Was Better Than The Football

HT: Hereford 0 – Woking 3

As Hereford looked to drag themselves back into the game, they restarted in a 3-5-2 formation; Eric Odhiambo replaced the ineffective Sam Smith, and Joel Edwards, who made his starting debut, made way for loanee Damon Lathrope who Martin Foyle presumably was resting because of picking up 4 yellow cards in previous games.

Hereford looked more enthusiastic going into the second period, with Artus blasting an early 20 yard effort, just wide.

Artus was yet again involved in the build up to a decent chance, as he sent a long ball into the box which O’Keefe converted, but the goal was ruled out by the referee as O’Keefe was offside.

Sub Eric Odhiambo Appeared To Be Tripped But No Free-Kick Given

As the half wore on, Hereford used the services of wingers Walker and Evans, who did well to set up numerous  chances in the 18 yard box. But the Bulls’ have gone back to lacking that cutting edge in the final third.

Leadbitter had the opportunity of scoring a consolation goal for the Whites in the dying stages of the game as, he broke free from defence and ran the length of the field to send a promising ball into the box, only for it to be caught by Beasent.

Woking could have added another goal to the score sheet deep in stoppage time, as Lloyd-Weston did well to save Giuseppe Sole’s close range shot.

FT: Hereford 0 – Woking 3

Att: 1,041 with 39 from Woking.

This was a very lacklustre performance by the Bulls after a four game unbeaten run, hopefully they have got it out of their system and can gain the points needed to stave off the threat of the dreaded R word.

Nuneaton next up at Edgar Street, so they will have to be on top form for that one. It can only be better than today’s performance.

Hereford: Lloyd-Weston, Leadbitter, McDonald, Collins, Edwards (Lathrope 46’), Walker, O’Keefe, Artus, M. Evans, Smith (Odhiambo 46’), Rankine. Subs not used: R Evans, Bush, Graham.
Woking: Beasant, Ricketts, McNerney, Cester, Nutter, Betsy, Murtagh, Payne (Parkinson 65’), Banya (Newton 72’), Rendell (Sole 78’), Marriott. Subs not used: Howe, Goddard.

See you on Saturday.

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