Hereford FC 2 – Hull City U21s 3

Hereford manager Pete Beadle made 3 changes to the starting line-up from the side that beat Brimscombe and Thrupp 4-2 earlier this week. Ben Miller, Dylan Bonella and Dean Lee were named as substitutes to make way for Aaron Birch, Nathan Summers and Adam Page. Hull named ex-Hereford United player Jarrod Bowen in their starting XI.

Aaron Birch (Right) Was Back On Trial For Hereford

Despite Hull kicking off attacking the Meadow End, Hereford carved out the first chance of the game. Pablo Haysham passed the ball out to Adam Page on the flank, but following a promising run into the box, he was dispossessed by the Tigers’ defence.

Jarrod Bowen cut into the box from the right, but Hereford’s Will Haines was on hand to put the ball behind for a corner. The chance came to nothing more than a goal kick after Greg Olley's effort was sent well wide. Harvey River’s ball found Pablo Haysham, but his pass out to Page was just ahead of him and the ball went out for a Tigers throw.

Midfielder Rob Purdie then linked up well with Sam Page on the left, but John Mills failed to get onto the end of Page’s crossed as the ball sailed out for a Hull throw on the right.

In the 24th minute it was Hull who broke the deadlock. John Ter Horst surged forward and having only the goalkeeper to beat, he made no mistake guiding the ball home.

Hull’s stopper Rory Watson then made two good saves to deny Hereford an equaliser. The first came from John Mills after picking up a ball from midfield, he beat the Tigers’ back four but Watson smothered his shot. The second came just minutes later when Sol Wheatley got a shot away after cutting in from the wing, his on target shot was saved by a diving Watson.

Hereford equalised in the 34th minute when Sol Wheatley received the ball on the left and afar some neat footwork beat his man to get a good cross, which was flicked goalwards by Mills. Watson managed to parry the ball away but only as far as Adam Page who powerfully dispatched the ball into the Tigers’ net for his first Edgar Street goal.  

Adam Page (On Right) Scored Hereford's First Goal

Mills could have got his name on the score sheet before the break as a long ball forward to Wheatley meant he could cross the ball into the box to onrushing Mills, but Hull stopper Watson denied Mills and ensured that the teams remained level going into the break.

HT: Hereford 1 – Hull City 1

It took a bit of time for the second half to get going, with the first real action being a penalty to Hereford. After a Hull player handled the ball in the box following a Wheatley cross, it was left to John Mills to take the spot kick. Mills’ shot to the bottom left hand corner of the net was saved by the outstretched arm of the keeper.

Keeper Watson Gets A Hand To Mills' Penalty Attempt

A flurry of substitutions for both sides saw Dylan Bonella, Ben Miller and Dean Lee come on in favour of Will Haines, Sol Wheatley and Rob Purdie respectively. 

Around the 73rd minute mark Hereford took the lead. John Mills’ effort took a deflection off a Hull defender which was enough to deceive keeper Watson into going the wrong way, and all he could do was watch the ball trickle across the line.

This Shot From John Mills Gave Hereford Their Second Goal

Seconds later Mills popped up again with what should have been his second; his powerful shot beat the keeper and rattled in off the crossbar, but, much to the disappointment of the celebrating Hereford fans, the referee disallowed the goal for a Mills handball and awarded Hull a free kick instead.

Hulls’ John Ter Horst broke forward from midfield, but as the Bulls’ defence was closing in, his rushed shot was deflected out for a fruitless corner. But as the game started to draw to a close it had to be the ex-Bull who popped up with the equaliser for Hull. Bowen’s low diagonal shot across the face of the goal beat Rivers before nestling in the far corner.

In the final minutes of the game it was Jarrod Bowen again as he grabbed the winner for Hull. His header looked to be going wide, but hit the inside of the post and into the Hereford net.

Hereford can count themselves somewhat unlucky to have lost this game, when a draw probably would’ve been a fairer result against a good Hull U21 side, whose first team only dropped from the Premiership last season.

FT: Hereford 2 – Hull City 3

Att: 1,118

Hereford: Rivers, Kontic-Coveney, Haines, Birch, James, Summers, Wheatley, Purdie, Mills, Haysham, Page.

Subs: Bonella, Lee, Miller, Hughes, Moreira.

Hull City: Watson, Clackstone, Townsend, Olley, Aimson, Rodgers, Tombides, Clark, Bowen, Annan, Horst.

Subs: Burkran, Hinchcliffe, Clappison, McKenzie, Tymon, Rodgerson, Barkworth.

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