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| Happy Hereford Players After The Game Finished - In Particular John Mills With The Match Ball |
Gomez the Mexican Cat reports from the Garden Walk.
After a difficult start, Hereford eased to an excellent 4-1 away win away at Royston, with a hat-trick for John Mills and a lovely finish from Pablo Haysham to put the icing on the cake.
The game didn’t start well with a goal conceded from a free kick in the 6th minute. There is a subtle slope at Royston and the home team made the most of it in the first half. A free kick conceded on the right was swung over with the Royston number 11 Marriott flicking it past a diving Horsell.
The weather started to deteriorate and the wind and rain made things difficult for both teams. Reffell and Oates both put crosses into the Royston box with no effect, but Hereford gained parity in the 16th minute following a good run from Reffell who passed to Mills who was brought down just outside the box. He took the free kick himself and slotted it past the Royston keeper at his near side.
Both sides had half chances during the rest of the half, with Royston making the most of downward slope, with most of their attacks running down the right hand side, but Horsell stood firm and at half time it was 1-1.
A heavy shower over half time gave way to sunshine during the second half and Hereford made the most of the improved conditions and the slope. Potton for Royston missed a chance with his header going wide and Braithwaite for Royston was booked for a professional foul. Hereford started to take control with the penalty, conceded after good work from Reffell who passed to Mills and his shot was handled in the box. He took the penalty confidently and Hereford took the lead.
Mills hat-trick came after good work from Preen who crossed for Mills to beat 3 defenders, plus the keeper and another defender on the line with an excellent finish.
Hill went off to be replaced by Symons and Oates was booked for a foul. Preen went off for Haysham and later McGrath was replaced by Purdie. Royston played the last ten minutes with ten men, having brought on all their subs as their defender Chappell was injured. This may well have contributed to Hereford’s final goal, an excellent move with Mills beating most of the Royston defence before unselfishly passing to Haysham who fired one past the keeper from the left hand side.
This was a superb win with none of the last minute jitters I saw at St Neot’s. While Mills will deservedly get the plaudits for his goals, the whole team played well. Deserving of special mention are McGrath who put in a dominant mid field performance, Reffell whose contribution to the goals was excellent and O’Shea who for one so young put in a mature calm stint at the back. Horsell gave an assured performance, with only the occasional stutter and after a shaky start the team were never seriously threatened. As a team we seem to be growing in confidence, but this season was never going to be a procession up the league pyramid and we have a long way to go.
The Referee did okay, he was certainly better than some we’ve seen this season, his bookings were fair and he managed to ignore the incessant yabbering from the Royston captain and bench, every time he pulled up a Hereford player for a foul.
This season for London Bulls is proving very easy at present. Games are within easy reach and today was no exception with Royston just 47 minutes from King’s Cross. However, there were Bulls there from all over the country who had started out at ridiculous times and no doubt as I write this on Saturday night are still making their way home, who helped to contribute to an excellent turn out again. Let’s hope for another great awayday in the FA Cup next week.
Teams:
Hereford: Martin Horsell, Jimmy Oates (c), James Bowen, Dara ’Shea, Ryan Green, Calvin Dinsley, Garyn Preen, Mike McGrath, John Mills, Keyon Reffell, Gethyn Hill
Subs: Pablo Haysham, Mike Symons, Rob Purdie, Dan Preston, Max Harris,
Royston: Joe Welch, Gus Scott-Morriss, Lee Chappell, Scott Bridges (c), Adam Murray, Daniel Brathwaite, Ed Asafu-Adjaye Sam Corcoran, James Potton, Martel Powell, Adam Marriott.
Subs. Jack Vasey, Ryan Ingrey, Stuart Bridges, Josh Castiglione, Oyinsan.
Crowd: 512
Goals:
Royston: Marriott
Hereford: Mills 3, Haysham