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| Referee Matthew Law Leads Out The Two Teams |
For the first time in two months, Hereford were back playing at their Edgar Street home on a Saturday where they faced Didcot Town. Bulls Boss Pete Beadle reverted back to the side that beat Wimborne 3-2 last weekend.
Didcot got this afternoon's game underway attacking the Meadow End in the first half, but an early attacking throw for Hereford saw John Mills unleash a shot which whistled just wide of the upright. Moments later, Mike Symons was unable to connect with Calvin Dinsley’s cross as the ball sailed wide.
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| Pablo Haysham With A Shot That Just Went Over The Goal |
Didcot could’ve taken the lead in the 12th minute following a foul by Jamie Molyneux. The free kick was punched away by Hereford keeper Martin Horsell, but with the rebound falling to Louis Joyce on the left of the box, his shot across Horsell was deflected out off the upright.
With 24 minutes on the clock, the Bulls had the ball in the back of the net. Some great work by Gloucester-loanee Calvin Dinsley saw him break forward before working the ball out to Pablo Haysham on the left wing. Haysham’s cross to Mike Symons at the far-post saw the ball hit the back of the net, but a blatant handball by Symons ruled the goal out. But on the half hour mark Hereford did go one up.
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| Didcot Players Protest About Mike Symons 'Goal' Which Was Disallowed |
After being awarded a free kick deep in his own half, Ryan Green found Jamie Molyneux on the right wing with a long cross-field ball. Despite being under pressure from James Organ, Molyneux managed to play a low-ball to John Mills in front of goal. Mills then made no mistake from close-range, burying the ball in the back of the net with his right foot.
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| The Assistant's Flag Was Raised But The Referee Said Play On |
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| Which Is Probably Why The Referee Told Didcot Captain Andy Ballard To Go Away After John Mills Had Scored |
7 minutes later Mike Symons redeemed himself for his earlier disallowed goal when he scored Hereford's second. In the run up to the goal, Jimmy Oates ran the length of the pitch after winning the ball in defence, and worked quickly to regain possession after being dispossessed by Organ. After doing so, Jamie Edge played a through ball to Jamie Molyneux whose shot from 22-yards was parried by the keeper. A second effort for Hereford, this time from Mills, was also blocked by the keeper before Mike Symons was on hand to slot the ball home for his 9th goal of the season.
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| Jamie Molyneux With An Initial Shot |
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| Which Came Back Out To John Mills Who Then Shot |
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| Which Also Came Back Out To Mike Symons |
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| Who Made No Mistake |
A string of Didcot corners before the break didn't prove too problematic for the Bulls, with the Highwaymen player-manager Andy Ballard heading well over the crossbar.
HT: Hereford 2 – Didcot Town 0
Hereford started the second half in the worst possible way, finding themselves down to 10-men with 2 minutes gone. Ben Whitehead forced Horsell into diving low-down to this left to prevent his effort from crossing the line, but with the visitors still in possession, Ryan Green was adjudged to have fouled Whitehead before he could get a second shot away. Referee Matthew Law pointed immediately to the spot before showing Green a straight red for the alleged foul. Whitehead duly dispatched the penalty, firing the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net after sending Horsell the wrong way.
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| Didcot Players Appeal For A Penalty |
Despite having the majority of the possession in the second half, Hereford couldn't regain their two-goal lead. Mike Symons went close with 69 minutes on the clock, but his glancing header from a corner sailed harmlessly wide of the target.
The Whites should’ve sealed the win with a flurry of chances in the final 10 minutes. Mike Symons’ solo-run ended with Highwaymen goalkeeper Leigh Bedwell charging down his shot, before efforts from Pablo Haysham and substitute Tristan Plummer both being blocked by Didcot’s defence.
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| Symons Couldn't Get Enough Direction On The Ball |
Then, deep into stoppage time, Didcot equalised. A free kick on the halfway line was delivered into the box by the keeper, before being flicked on into the path of the unmarked Jordan Graham who steered the ball home with his outstretched leg.
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| Graham Equalises For Didcot |
Hereford then had a penalty shout waived 4 minutes into added time. It was once again Pablo Haysham who was pressing Didcot’s defence, but after he was upended in the 18-yard box referee Matthew Law booked him for simulation.
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| Haysham Brought Down? |
FT: Hereford 2 – Didcot Town 2
Att: 3,020 with 24 making the trip from Oxfordshire
Sponsors’ MOTM: Calvin Dinsley
Hereford: Horsell, Oates, Edwards (c), Green █, Parry, Edge, Dinsley, Molyneux (Willets – 49’), Haysham █, Mills (Plummer – 64’), Symons █.
Subs not used: A Harris, Purdie, McGrath.
Didcot: Bedwell, Elkins, Organ █ (Collins – 82’), Mulvany, Ballard █, Leoroyd (c), Graham, Benjamin, Whitehead (Powell – 64’), Davis (Barder – 75’), Joyce.
Subs not used: Thorne, Beer.
