Bulls News: Hereford 5 - Redditch United 2

Pablo Haysham Scored Twice For Hereford

Hereford got the New Year off to a near-perfect start, coming from behind to beat Redditch United at a windy Edgar Street on Monday afternoon.

Despite going a goal down within the opening ten minutes, Hereford fought back to win the game 5-2, with John Mills sealing the win in the 83rd minute.

After Boxing Day's disappointing goalless draw at Merthyr, Pete Beadle made two changes to the starting XI. Dan Preston started alongside Jack Deaman in the centre of defence, replacing Ryan Green who's suffering with a bout of man flu. One other change saw Garyn Preen start in favour of Jamie Bird on the wing.

Redditch started the brighter of the two sides, and in the sixth minute Martin Horsell easily dealt with an early corner in front of the Blackfriars End. But two minutes later Jack Deaman brought down former Hereford United striker Stuart Fleetwood in the box, with referee Ollie Williams immediatly pointing the spot. Another former Bull Ashley Sammons then stepped up and made no mistake from 12-yards.

Despite the slow start, Hereford started to find their feet and their first clear cut chance of the game fell to Eliot Richards. After a great ball into the box from Pablo Haysham and a flick on from John Mills, Richards saw his shot sting the hands of the keeper before being cleared. A chance followed for captain Jimmy Oates, but his driven effort from a corner went wide at the far post.

The referee then awarded the second penalty of the game with just 15 minutes on the clock, pointing straight to the spot after Pablo Haysham was upended in the area. In front of the Meadow End, marksman John Mills sent Ethan Ross the wrong way, drawing Hereford back level.

The goals continued to come thick and fast as in the 19th minute the Whites took the lead. With Jimmy Oates finding Pablo Haysham in the middle of the park, he worked the ball onto his right foot before firing an effort past Redditch's keeper from outside the area.

Stuart Fleetwood then equalised for the Reds just before the half hour mark. The 31-year old got onto the end of a misplaced pass from the Bulls' defence, calmly slotting the ball past Martin Horsell.

But Hereford responded almost instantly, as in the 31st minute Lance Smith got his name on the score sheet. Smith had only been on the pitch 14 minutes after replacing Keyon Reffell early on, but the former Evesham striker capitalised on some poor defending from Redditch as he found the back of the net from point-blank range.

Eliot Richards Lofted The Ball Towards Keeper Ross And Several Defenders Who Scambled It Out Towards Lance Smith

The high-scoring first half continued, with Pablo Haysham netting his second goal eight minutes from half time. After running onto the end of a through-ball, Haysham fired a shot across goalkeeper Ethan Ross which hit the inside of the post to make it 4-2.

Haysham then went close to completing his hat-trick before the break, but his shot from range was wide of the target.

HT: Hereford 4 - Redditch United 2

The Bulls started the second half in the same manner in which they'd finished the first - looking a threat in front of goal. Almost straight from the restart Garyn Preen had a chance to further increase the lead, but his right-footed shot sailed over the crossbar.

John Mills then had two decent chances, but Redditch managed to keep the deficit to just two goals. Mills' first chance from 12-yards was blocked by a defender, before his follow-up shot was kept out by the feet of the keeper.

A handful of chances then came for Lance Smith, but he was unable to score his second of the afternoon. After somehow putting the ball over the bar from close range, moments later he fired straight a shot straight at the keeper when he really should have done better.

Orrin Pendley then went close for Redditch in the 64th minute, with his shot from range going wide at the far post. Hereford half-cleared a corner, but the ball fell to Pendley 25-yards out who tried his luck, but his curling effort went wide.

The second half's only goal came seven minutes from time courtesy of John Mills. Garyn Preen's initial shot from an acute angle smashed against the inside of the far post, with Mills left with the easy task of tapping home Hereford's fifth.