Heed Halt Hereford's Hopes

One Minute Silence For Hillsborough

Following the great 1-0 win on the road on Tuesday, caretaker manager Pete Beadle opted not to change the starting 11 ahead of today’s clash with promotion hopefuls Gateshead.

Tuesday’s goalscorer Kingsley James picked up a loose ball in midfield before Marcus Maddison took James’ legs from beneath him and gifted Hereford a free kick. Rankine drove his free kick low past the 3 man wall, and ex-Bull Adam Bartlett tipped his effort around the post for a fruitless corner.

An early substitution was forced upon Beadle when Pilkington picked up an injury and was replaced after 7 minutes by Jon Brown.

Dan Pilkington Carried Off By Jonny Evans And Dr Frith

United had a good penalty shout not long after when youngster Jarrod Bowen won a throw-in down the flank. Leadbitter found James with his throw, who then managed to cross the ball into the box. However, despite Gateshead’s player of the month JJ O’Donnell arguably guilty of handball, it went unnoticed by referee Daniel Cook and the ball was quickly cleared.

Lone striker Michael Rankine was brought down by John Oster. Youth teamer Billy Murphy stepped-up to deliver the free kick into the heart of the penalty area. Dom Collins came close with his header which went narrowly wide of the upright.

Despite numerous shots which were well wide of the target, the Heed didn’t really come close scoring until the 25th minute. After a good delivery into the box by Chandler, the Bulls eventually cleared the ball but only as far as Magnay. The right-back forced Daniel Lloyd-Weston into making a stunning diving save with his shot from 30-yards. The resulting corner was dealt with comfortably by the hosts and soon Hereford were on the counter-attack. Kingsley James was released down the right and his cross met by the head of Collins, but his effort was caught by Bartlett.

Gateshead took the lead on the 36 minute mark when James Marwood received the ball in the danger area. He did well to create enough space to get a shot away, and with Lloyd-Weston already off his line, Marwood’s clinical finish was enough to break the deadlock with the back tracking Rob Purdie unable to get enough on the ball to prevent the goal.

James Marwood Scored The Only Goal Of the Game

HT: Hereford 0 – Gateshead 1

Rob Purdie was judged to have fouled the Heed’s Baxter and referee Cook swiftly awarded Gateshead a free kick. Baxter delivered his free kick deep into the 18-yard box, but Ben Clark’s effort from close-range sailed over Lloyd-Weston’s net.

Three consecutive corners were to follow for the Whites, the first from some excellent link-up play between James and Murphy. James worked the ball up the channel before crossing the ball to Murphy. He tried his luck from distance and his was almost rewarded, but Bartlett managed to make a fingertip save. Rankine’s shot from the resulting corner out was deflected out for another, before Artus’ third corner was cleared with ease. 

Michael Rankine And Jarrod Bowen Try To Head the Ball From A Corner

After Hereford lost possession of the ball, winger Jamie Chandler whipped down the wing and his resulting shot was parried by Lloyd-Weston before being pumped away to safety.

Jarrod Bowen was then harshly carded when the youngster was subject to shirt pulling whilst trying to dispossess Carl Magnay. With both players down, the referee cautioned Bowen amongst a large amount of discontent from the home supporters.

Minutes later, Frankie Artus and Jarrod Bowen were replaced by Sam Smith and Cory Williams respectively.

Rankine and Williams closed in on Carl Magnay and cleanly won the ball, as Rankine turned and ran goalbound, he was fouled by Magnay.  Murphy  took the free kick deep into the box, but Collins was unlucky to see his header clear the crossbar.

With the second half seeming brighter for Bulls fans, Brown received a low cross from Michael Rankine, but he scuffed his shot which allowed Bartlett to gather the ball harmlessly.

One of United’s best and last chances of the game came for striker Sam Smith when a nice through ball found him in space,  he tried to lift the ball over the onrushing Bartlett, who had already gone down to smother the ball.

A few more half-chances followed for the Bulls, including Kingsley James heading the ball into the side-netting from a Williams free kick.

The Ball Comes To Kingsley James But His Header Hits The Side Netting

FT: Hereford 0 – Gateshead 1

Att: 1,783 with 51 returning t’up north happy.

MotM: The Tupsley Whites selected Cory Williams.

Hereford: Lloyd-Weston, Leadbitter, Graham, Collins, Bush, Bowen (Williams 72’), Artus (Smith 71’), Murphy, James, Pilkington (Brown 6’), Rankine. Subs not used: Bush, Edge.

Gateshead: Bartlett, Magnay, Curtis, Baxter, Clark, O’Donnell, Turnbull, Oster, Chandler, Maddison, Marwood. Subs not used: Larkin, Cummins, Walker, Ramshaw, Noble.

The football on offer from the Bulls is certainly more pleasing to the eye, but sadly the lack of cutting edge upfront is still the same old story. With Hereford dropping into the relegation zone for the first time this season, already relegated Tamworth has become a must-win game.

Get there and support the team on Friday night.

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