It's back to September 2000 for BN's latest 'from the archives' article.
14 years ago today the Bulls played Stevenage at Edgar Street in front of 2251 spectators.
Sept 23rd:
HEREFORD UNITED 1 - 1 STEVENAGE BOROUGH
With Stevenage having drawn five matches, the most in the Conference, and United having drawn three out of their four opening matches at home, this game was always destined to be a draw! However, it was never going to be as straightforward as that.
Hereford started with the same eleven that lost at Doncaster last weekend, but named Craig Hanson on the substitutes bench. Stevenage, under the guidance of Paul Fairclough, named former Hereford midfielder Wayne Dyer on the bench. The Hertfordshire side made two changes in their team - Garry Wraight and Neil Illman replacing Mark Smith and Mark Graham.
Both sides started brightly, but early challenges from the off revealed signs that it was not to be a classic by any means. In fact, the referee, Mr L Jones of Bournemouth, was probably the busiest man on the field!
Armstrong had Stevenage's first effort, but his high cross was no match for Cooksey and the former Shrewsbury 'keeper claimed the ball with authority and confidence. Soon after, it was the Bulls' turn to attack, and Gavin Williams was fouled on the edge of the penalty area by Nathan Bunce. The resulting Michael McIndoe free kick was cleared by Robin Trott. Hereford continued to pressureise the Stevenage goal and Kerry Giddings somehow managed to miss when one on one with the goalkeeper Chris Taylor.
A hard drive from Searle was tipped over from Scott Cooksey on eight minutes, and a further eight minutes later Phil Robinson hit a shot which looked to be going goalwards. However, it hit the crossbar and rebounded back into play, before it was cleared by the defence.
The opening goal came on twenty one minutes when a defensive mix up between Hereford's goalkeeper and defender Tony James allowed Paul Armstrong to round Cooksey and score from eight yards. Teenage Armstrong was playing his seventh ever match in the Conference, and that was his first goal.
Hereford should have hit back soon after but two efforts were wasted by Gavin Williams when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The first was hit over the crossbar and the second was saved easily by Taylor.
A superb run from Matt Clarke from one penalty area to the other was only cancelled out after a challenge, and soon after Gavin Williams was sprinting after a high ball but was pulled back by a defender, preventing him from capitalising on the chance.
With eight minutes of the half remaining, McIndoe hit a shot goalwards but Taylor made a spectacular save to keep his side in the lead. In added time at the end of the half, a long shot from Parry was saved comfortably by the goalkeeper.
At the start of the second half, Robin Elmes replaced John Snape, who had had a below-par performance and also suffered in a clash in the opening fourty five minutes. Also, Scott Cooksey had to run off a leg injury incurred during an incident in the penalty area, and at one stage it was impossible to know whether he would be able to continue.
The first period of the second half was hugely uneventful, but on sixty one minutes Phil Robinson was fouled and a free-kick was awarded in a central position twenty five yards out. However, Illman pushed a Hereford player in the wall, and was promptly booked. The free-kick, taken by Chris Lane, was hit straight at the wall and rebounded to safety.
A Hereford siege came and numerous chances went close. From one corner, the ball was cleared off the line by the Stevenage defence. On seventy six minutes, Craig Hanson came on to replace Paul Parry, who had been hugely ineffective for the main.
The equaliser was inevitable and when Dean Martin fouled Williams in the area, a penalty was given and it was down to Chris Lane to save a point for United. In his normal fashion, he hit a sweet shot to the left of the goalkeeper to level the score.
However, Hereford should have been winning by the end of the match as chance upon chance was wasted in front of the home crowd. In the five added minutes for injuries, both sides had chances to seal the match so a draw was probably a fair result.
The difference in the teams' playing styles was evident by looking at the yellow card rate. No Hereford players were cautioned, but Bunce (27), Wraight (36), Kirby (39), Hay (60) and Taylor (90) were booked for fouls, and Illman on sixty one minutes for unsporting behaviour.
Stevenage look an average side, and United fans saw the return of Wayne Dyer to Edgar Street, albeit for nine minutes at the end. The attendance of 2,251 is the lowest this season at Edgar Street, and the count of thirty seven fouls tells its own story.
Hereford - Cooksey, Lane, Clarke, Robinson, Wright, James, Parry, Snape, McIndoe, Giddings, Williams
Substitutions - Elmes (45), Hanson (76).
Man of the Match - Chris Lane
HEREFORD UNITED 1 - 1 STEVENAGE BOROUGH
With Stevenage having drawn five matches, the most in the Conference, and United having drawn three out of their four opening matches at home, this game was always destined to be a draw! However, it was never going to be as straightforward as that.
Hereford started with the same eleven that lost at Doncaster last weekend, but named Craig Hanson on the substitutes bench. Stevenage, under the guidance of Paul Fairclough, named former Hereford midfielder Wayne Dyer on the bench. The Hertfordshire side made two changes in their team - Garry Wraight and Neil Illman replacing Mark Smith and Mark Graham.
Both sides started brightly, but early challenges from the off revealed signs that it was not to be a classic by any means. In fact, the referee, Mr L Jones of Bournemouth, was probably the busiest man on the field!
Armstrong had Stevenage's first effort, but his high cross was no match for Cooksey and the former Shrewsbury 'keeper claimed the ball with authority and confidence. Soon after, it was the Bulls' turn to attack, and Gavin Williams was fouled on the edge of the penalty area by Nathan Bunce. The resulting Michael McIndoe free kick was cleared by Robin Trott. Hereford continued to pressureise the Stevenage goal and Kerry Giddings somehow managed to miss when one on one with the goalkeeper Chris Taylor.
A hard drive from Searle was tipped over from Scott Cooksey on eight minutes, and a further eight minutes later Phil Robinson hit a shot which looked to be going goalwards. However, it hit the crossbar and rebounded back into play, before it was cleared by the defence.
The opening goal came on twenty one minutes when a defensive mix up between Hereford's goalkeeper and defender Tony James allowed Paul Armstrong to round Cooksey and score from eight yards. Teenage Armstrong was playing his seventh ever match in the Conference, and that was his first goal.
Hereford should have hit back soon after but two efforts were wasted by Gavin Williams when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The first was hit over the crossbar and the second was saved easily by Taylor.
A superb run from Matt Clarke from one penalty area to the other was only cancelled out after a challenge, and soon after Gavin Williams was sprinting after a high ball but was pulled back by a defender, preventing him from capitalising on the chance.
With eight minutes of the half remaining, McIndoe hit a shot goalwards but Taylor made a spectacular save to keep his side in the lead. In added time at the end of the half, a long shot from Parry was saved comfortably by the goalkeeper.
At the start of the second half, Robin Elmes replaced John Snape, who had had a below-par performance and also suffered in a clash in the opening fourty five minutes. Also, Scott Cooksey had to run off a leg injury incurred during an incident in the penalty area, and at one stage it was impossible to know whether he would be able to continue.
The first period of the second half was hugely uneventful, but on sixty one minutes Phil Robinson was fouled and a free-kick was awarded in a central position twenty five yards out. However, Illman pushed a Hereford player in the wall, and was promptly booked. The free-kick, taken by Chris Lane, was hit straight at the wall and rebounded to safety.
A Hereford siege came and numerous chances went close. From one corner, the ball was cleared off the line by the Stevenage defence. On seventy six minutes, Craig Hanson came on to replace Paul Parry, who had been hugely ineffective for the main.
The equaliser was inevitable and when Dean Martin fouled Williams in the area, a penalty was given and it was down to Chris Lane to save a point for United. In his normal fashion, he hit a sweet shot to the left of the goalkeeper to level the score.
However, Hereford should have been winning by the end of the match as chance upon chance was wasted in front of the home crowd. In the five added minutes for injuries, both sides had chances to seal the match so a draw was probably a fair result.
The difference in the teams' playing styles was evident by looking at the yellow card rate. No Hereford players were cautioned, but Bunce (27), Wraight (36), Kirby (39), Hay (60) and Taylor (90) were booked for fouls, and Illman on sixty one minutes for unsporting behaviour.
Stevenage look an average side, and United fans saw the return of Wayne Dyer to Edgar Street, albeit for nine minutes at the end. The attendance of 2,251 is the lowest this season at Edgar Street, and the count of thirty seven fouls tells its own story.
Hereford - Cooksey, Lane, Clarke, Robinson, Wright, James, Parry, Snape, McIndoe, Giddings, Williams
Substitutions - Elmes (45), Hanson (76).
Man of the Match - Chris Lane