Hereford Ease Past Slimbridge

Two Goals For John Mills

Hereford were back in league action this Tuesday evening and it was Slimbridge who were the visitors to Edgar Street. Whilst Hereford had lost their 100% record in the previous outing, the visitors had lost their unbeaten record though 5 of those results had been draws.


It was Hereford, spurred on by the home support in a crowd of 2,305, who made the early running and had Slimbridge on the back-foot from the off. It was a familiar site from The Whites early, who were attacking the Meadow End, with Mike Symons making use of his physical presence and supplying plenty of knock downs and lay-offs for his team mates to collect. It was Symons' lay off to Plummer out wide on the right that caused the first concern for the Slimbridge defence, as they scrambled the ball away from the toes of John Mills early on.


Symons himself went close, seeing a shot across the goal deflect out for a corner before the deadlock was broken in the 14th minute. Hereford again enjoyed success down the right flank, this time Rob Purdie providing a perfect cross to Mills who headed expertly in from 12 yards out for 1-0. 

John Mills Heads In Hereford's Opening Goal

John Mills Thanks Rob Purdie For His 'Assist' For The Goal

Mills didn't have to wait long for another opportunity and made no mistake 2 minutes later, converting a rebound from close range after Sinclair had a shot saved, cutting in from the left. 2-0 to Hereford with 16 minutes gone and from that point it looked as though it could be any score come full time!

Jake Sinclair With A Shot That The Keeper Failed To Collect And John Mills Scored From The Rebound

 
Hereford took their foot off the pedal after securing the safety net of a goal lead and Slimbridge found their way in the game a little more, though the following period was a scrappy one with little goal threat. Hereford came back in to their own in the final 10 minutes of the half as Mills was denied a hattrick by a covering defender, Plummer shot wide, as did Mills who took down a cross from Chris Barker on his chest before a first time, volleyed effort across goal. Half time, 2-0 to Hereford.


Whilst Hereford remained in control, Slimbridge arguably had the better chances in the opening exchanges of the second period. Marley Thomas had a shot blocked before sending the rebound towards the back post for Jamie Martin, though Martin headed wide under pressure. Jack Twyman had a shot off target from outside of the box before Alex Harris in the Hereford goal had to claw Edward Major's effort away from his far post.


A through ball from Slimbridge caused Hereford, and Barker in particular, more concern than they would have wanted - the defender managed to cut the ball out, however over stretched and appeared to pull his hamstring. He was replaced immediately by Joel Edwards. Hereford had their own chances, Jamie Edge shooting wide from range following good hold-up play from Symons, before the ever-dangerous Tristan Plummer flashed a shot wide.


Plummer was in on the action minutes later again however and this time made no mistake in making it 3-0 after 73 minutes. Edwards launched a long ball down the left, Mills collected and crossed to the far post. The initial cross was a just out of Plummer's reach, but the wide-man collected, beat his man inside the box before firing home.

Tristan Plummer Scores Hereford's Third

 
There were a couple of half-chances for substitutes Rory Huntbach and Ross Staley before the final whistle in what was a much better performance than the last outing against Tiverton. It did look as though Hereford might score 5 or 6 in this game, though the job was complete with less than a quarter of the game gone. 3 goals and a clean sheet should give little cause for complaint. 

Full time: Hereford 3 Slimbridge 0.

Hereford: Harris, Purdie (c), Barker, Edge, Green, Parry, Plummer, McGrath, Mills, Sinclair, Symons.

Subs: Edwards, Willets, Staley, Huntbach, Horsell

Attendance: 2305

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