Bulls News: Match Report: Hereford 1

Keyon Reffell Scored The Only Goal Of The Game

It was Keyon Reffell's last-gasp winner that secured the win for Hereford at Edgar Street this afternoon, with visitors Biggleswade Town conceding in the 94th minute.

After Tuesday's home win against Bishop's Stortford, as expected there were three changes to the Hereford side. Mike Symons started alongside Lance Smith up front as John Mills is carrying a knock, with Rob Purdie and Dara O'Shea coming in for Garyn Preen and Jordan Liburd respectively.

It was a slow start for Hereford, with Jimmy Oates' wayward cross from the right the closest the home side came to threatening within the first twenty minutes.

With 23 minutes on the clock, referee Sarah Garratt who has impressed in her previous outings at Edgar Street, awarded a free kick to Hereford 25-yards out after James Bowen was brought down. But Jamie Bird's rising shot from the free kick was well-over Liam's Gooch's goal, as both sides continue to struggle to test the keeper.

Connor Hall then forced Martin Horsell into make a save, but the shot was soft and proved an easy save for Hereford's keeper.

At the other end of the pitch, two chances in as many minutes followed, with Eliot Richard's shot going wide after he burst forward from midfield. Moments later, James Bowen's cross was deflected behind for a corner, but Dara O'Shea headed the inswinging ball over the bar after breaking forward from the edge of area.

As half time approached, Liam Gooch was called into action for the first time in the game as Biggleswade conceded a penalty. As Eliot Richards latched onto the end of a good ball into the box by Keyon Reffell, his cross was blocked by the arm of the sliding Gavin Hoyte.

In the absence of the usual penalty taker John Mills, up-stepped Lance Smith who saw his driven spot-kick saved low-down to the keeper's right.

With two minutes to go until the break, two chances for Mike Symons couldn't break the deadlock. Once again Gooch pulled off a fine save to deny Symons, but as the return ball fell to Symons, he blazed the shot over the bar.

HT: Hereford 0 - Biggleswade Town 0

The Bulls came out for the second half with more attacking intent, with decent chances within the opening exchanges. In the 49th minute, Eliot Richards's half-volley from outside the area, but the keeper watched on as the shot whistled wide.

Two minutes later, Dara O'Shea should've done better after getting on the end of Rob Purdie's corner from the right, but his header was straight into the arms of the keeper.

Once again the keeper kept the score level, denying Keyon Reffell from close-range. A long-throw into the box from Jimmy Oates into the box was flicked on by Mike Symons, but Reffell's left-footed shot was well-saved and quickly cleared by the Waders.

Martin Horsell was then called into action for the first time since the interval as he smothered solo-striker Liam Brooks' shot.

Keyon Reffell then had a snap-shot, but from the edge of the area he fired over the target.

In the 57th minute the visitors were reduced to ten-men as the Bulls continued to search for a breakthrough. Connor Hall seemingly raised an elbow to Hereford captain Jimmy Oates and was duly dismissed.

A flurry of chances followed for the hosts, as a goal looked almost certain. In the 78th minute Mike Symons rose above Lucas Perry to get his head on a simple cross into the box, but the former Gloucester striker headed wide. Garyn Preen then saw his low effort saved by the feet of the keeper, before a powerful shot from Rob Purdie was deflected behind for a corner.

From the corner, Mike Symons somehow didn't get his name on the scoresheet as his header cannoned off the underside of the crossbar. No player in a white shirt could then get anything on the loose ball as the Waders cleared the danger.

As the game entered the dying stages, the Waders' resolute defence continued to prove the sticking point for Hereford, but Keyon Reffell was on-hand in the fourth minute of stoppage time to net the winner.
With Rob Purdie's corner half-cleared by Biggleswade, the Bulls worked the ball around the edge of the box before James Bowen whipped a cross into the box. Amongst a congested penalty area, it was Reffell who got onto the end of the cross to break the deadlock.