Eric watched Hereford's first away win of the season.
Three new signings for Hereford showed their commitment to the Bulls as they notched up their first away win of the season. But they weren't the only ones making new vows at St Neots. On a sweltering day a lucky couple decided that they should celebrate their love and marriage by arriving in a horse and carriage. The wedding guests turned up in a bus bubble style with directions to keep them well segregated from the football. More fool them!
The
game kicked off in a rather direct fashion and St Neots were first to
threaten with winger Dion Sembie-Ferris crossing for Dylan Williams
who in plenty of space in the box failed to convert a straight
forward chance putting it wide. Most of St Neots best work came from
winger Sembie-Ferris in the first half. New centre back pairing
O’Shea and Preston went for a reassuring safety first approach
winning a number of headers, but both would fail to see the match
out.
Reffell
and Molyneux were combining well and getting through a lot of work,
especially against the other and lesser Scott Sinclair. Sinclair set
about niggling with lots of pushes, dives and sly manoeuvres. In the
second half he even decided to try and make something of it off the
field with Hereford’s kitman Roger Lloyd during a break in play.
He
tried to wind up Jimmy Oates and eventually was booked. The St. Neots
number centre back Taylor Parr was useful in the air but less so on
the ground and got booked after a number of “clumsy” challenges.
The booking came when he stopped a flying Reffell who was on the
verge of breaking away. Reffell made a bright start to the match and
was very busy in the middle of the park. Hereford won a good free
kick but Bowen’s shot went softly into keeper Emery’s hands.
New
boy Hill was struggling to get into the pace of the game. Mills was
working well down the channels laying balls to Molyneux and Haysham.
Haysham received the ball in a good position and converted in the
fashion of the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final. A few minutes later
Mills again laid Pablo into a good position. This time he feinted and
cut inside from the left. With his trademark minimal backlift he
rifled a laser like shot as he entered the box into the far side
netting for a quality finish.
Hereford visibly relaxed but Bowen was booked for another foul on the dangerous Sembie-Ferris who kept on providing much of St. Neots best work. It was easy to see why he had been on Colchester’s books. Oates was having difficulty with the gamesmanship of some of the St Neots players and their number 9 threw himself to the floor to hoodwink the referee into awarding a free kick in a dangerous position after 34 minutes. The free kick went out for a corner. When this came in St. Neots got in two dangerous shots. Horsell saved the first well at close range and the rebound at point blank range was blocked by a combination of Horsell and Preston putting his body on the line. Unfortunately Preston injured himself in saving the goal and had to go off.
Purdie
came on for Preston who had made a good second debut. Oates moved to
centre back and Purdie played at right back. O’Shea got himself
booked when impeding St Neots keeper Emery making
a clearance as he rushed to get back to the reorganised defence. St.
Neots won a corner and when it came to the back post St Neots Centre Forward Clarke tried to
palm it in. He gave an unimpressive display throughout the afternoon,
and even using his hands he could not score palming the ball wide of
the post. The referee spotted this well and booked him.
Reffell
and McGrath were combining to be a very effective partnership.
McGrath won a tackle in Hereford’s half. Ruffell tidied up the
loose ball back to Oates who pinged first time a 30 yard ball to
Molyneux on the right. He took the ball in his stride beating a
player and then threading a pass through to Mills which took out two
more defenders.
Mills
then scored a Messi style goal. With more Mills chops than a butchers
display, he waltzed into the box bamboozling defenders and putting
them on their backsides. His first shot was blocked and he chopped
and shot again. Blocked he chopped again and finally he scored at the
third attempt rolling the ball in when he was not far away from
walking the ball in. Think Ricky Villa’s famous goal but with
better teamwork behind it. Goal of the season already? Sumptuous.
2 0 at half time reflected Hereford’s superior skills and a solid first half display.
St.
Neots made a substitution just before half time and another at half
time to try and get back into the game. A St.Neots shot was not
handled that well by Horsell and then Molyneux again fed Mills whose
shot was well saved for a corner. Hill was coming more into the game
as he got more used to the pace of the game and McGrath was
increasingly influential.
Picking
up on this when McGrath won a 50/50 challenge cleanly St. Neot’s
overreacted surrounding the referee and getting McGrath booked. This
included the keeper charging half way down the pitch. Whilst not
quite the “Full Didcot” of was three quarters of the way there.
St. Neots nickname is the Saints and whilst half their side tried to
play football several of their players tried to compensate for their
inadequacy by resorting to dark arts. Hereford need to wise up to
this kind of treatment and talk more to referees. Beadle in typical
language made this point on more than one occasion to our ingenues.
Kyran
Wiltshire was booked for a very late tackle on Pablo who will wake up
tomorrow with lots of bruises. He had been set free by another
excellent ball by Bowen. Hereford played a quick great break with
Molyneux feeding Hill who got down the right and pulled back for a
straightforward clinical finish from Molyneux.
Shortly after an honest challenge between Hill and McDevitt resulted in the St Neots player having to off with a cut head reducing them to ten players as they had used all their substitutes. Hill now has got up to speed and is increasingly influential before he was substituted for Preen with a warm reception. Another great shot from Mills was going through until a defender just deflected it wide for a corner with an effort from Oates well saved.
A
long throw was headed well out from the box by Oates. Scott Sinclair
fired it back in and Horsell was a little flat footed as it went into
the net. St Neot’s raised their game and Hereford were a little
more open than they needed to be. They broke well and the referee
failed to play advantage when they had a potential two on one. A
tactical foul by Purdie resulted in a booking. Hereford looked a
better team with Purdie’s wisdom and tactical nous on the field of
play. Horsell saved the free kick well.
Hereford
had not learnt their lesson and instead of seeing out the last few
minutes were again caught out. St. Neots best player Sembie-Ferris
broke on the right again and he was caught by O’Shea. The referee
had little option but to book and a second yellow which saw yet
another Hereford central defender ending up missing a game.
Hereford
then saw out the game for a well-deserved victory. Hereford fans
received a good and generous welcome from the Saints, it’s a pity
they have a few sinners on the pitch. As the new club rise up the
divisions the players will have to get wise to this gamesmanship.
Hereford: Horsell, Oates, Bowen, Reffell, Preston, O’Shea, Molineux, McGrath, Mills, Haysham, Hill
Subs: Purdie (for Preston 42), Preen (for Hill 79), Edge, Franklin and Harris.
Cards: O’Shea (RED – 2 x Y - 39 & 90 +2 mins), Bowen (Y – 30 mins), McGrath (Y – 62 mins), Oates (Y -88 mins)
Goals: Haysham (21 mins), Mills (45 + 1 mins), Molineux (60 mins)
Player
reviews
Horsell
– excellent double save when the game was in the balance but a few
kicking and handling errors and should have done better with the
goal.
Oates
– another excellent performance but our Captain Oates needs to go
outside and talk to the referee more to address gamesmanship.
Purdie
–team looked a lot better balanced when he came on and it blunted
their attacks.
Preston
– put his body on the line to save a goal and had looked simple and
solid until then.
O’Shea
– very good first performance but naive to get the second booking
and a suspension when we are so short of centre backs.
Bowen
– beaten more often than usual by a good player but still initiated
many attacks.
Molyneux
– my man of the match, makes goals, scores goals, a constant threat
Reffell
– got through a lot of work in the first half becoming Mr Versatile
– can he play centre back?
McGrath
– showed nous in second half and should not have been booked
Haysham
– quality goal and never shirked a challenge, usual excellent link
up play with Mills
Mills
– his best ever goal for Hereford? Go and have a look. Took game to
St. Neots in first half.
Hill
– Took the first half to shake off a bit of rustiness but looked
very useful in second half and had an assist for the third goal.