Text at top (next game etc)

Next Game: Scarborough In The League At Edgar Street On Tuesday 19th November At 7.45pm

Friday, March 18, 2016

It's Hereford's Tie To Lose


Tomorrow sees the second leg of the FA Vase semi-final between Salisbury and Hereford.

The winner will play either Morpeth or Bowers and Pitsea at Wembley on Sunday May 22nd.

Semi-final winners receive £6,000. 

The winners of the Vase receive £25,000 and there is £17,000 for the losing finalist.

But it's not only the money.

Salisbury and Hereford are 'new' clubs in their first year, born out of two former famous clubs who recently folded.

For either to reach Wembley would be a triumph. For one of them to win the FA Vase would be history making as that has never happened to a team in its first season.

But there's tomorrow to get past first.

A week ago Hereford won the first leg at Edgar Street 1-0. On the day it's probably fair to say neither team played as well as they might have. But both managers thought the result was right.

For tomorrow Hereford manager Peter Beadle has one big decision to make. Does he keep Mike Symons up front or does he start with John Mills.

He has hinted he might start Mills but managers play mind games and Beadle's intention may be to confuse Steve Claridge, the Salisbury manager.

After all Symons' game is different from that of Mills.

"Who knows he (Mills) could be our match winner next week," said Beadle after last Saturday's first leg.

Otherwise barring any injury problems Beadle will almost certainly stick with the same squad as started last Saturday.

Given the bright but cold windy weather of the last few days, the pitch at Salisbury should have dried out. However how good the surface will be could depend on Claridge and what surface he thinks might suit his team the better.

Whatever the weather, whatever the surface, whatever the manager's selection, Salisbury have to score to give themselves any hope of going to Wembley.

Claridge admits his team may have to take a risk to do so.

"I think maybe us to take a bit of a risk, obviously they've got good players on the break. I think you can get at them but by doing that we're probably going to have to take one or two chances. So it will be a calculated risk."

Whereas Beadle is hopeful his side can put pressure on Salisbury.

"I don't think there have been many games we haven't scored in, Highgate we lost 2-0 before then it's hard to think of a game we didn't score a goal.

"I know what my team is about, I know what they bring to the table. If they perform then it will take a tough team to stop us."

With a one goal advantage, it's Hereford's tie to lose.