Continuing BN's look at clubs Hereford will play this coming season, Darlington is another team now in the National North that Hereford have met before.
This report on a game played on April 12th 2008.
Super Hooper fires Bulls to win
Hereford
United grabbed an important away victory at Darlington courtesy of a
second half goal from Gary Hooper. With Stockport beating Peterborough,
nothing less than a victory was required and Hooper came up trumps by
smashing in mid-way through the second half to the delight of the
travelling army. The three points confirms that Hereford will appear in
the play-offs, although the hope is for much greater things.
There
were two changes from last weekend’s dramatic late draw against Chester
City, with Sammy Igoe making way due to injury. Simon Johnson replaced
him to line up against his former club. John McCombe was also ruled out,
with Karl Broadhurst coming in at centre-half alongside Dean Beckwith.
Former Bull Rob Purdie started on the right-wing for Darlington, whilst
striking duo Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and Tommy Wright both started,
despite doubts over their match fitness.
The
game started slowly, on a tricky pitch, with the first chance falling
to Clint Easton after a long free-kick by Wayne Brown had found him via a
large bounce, but the winger’s half-volley was blocked by Neil Austin. A
deep corner by Easton found Hooper at the back post but his powerful
effort was also blocked, before United’s encouraging start nearly found a
goal, after some good work from Ben Smith and Hooper, Easton collected
on the left-hand side of the box but dragged a shot wide. The winger was
at the centre of everything Hereford did in the early stages, and a
shot with his right foot took a huge bobble on the turf, and Darlington
‘keeper David Stockdale managed to block the shot…with his head!
The
Whites continued to probe, with Steve Guinan slicing wide after a quick
one two with Hooper whilst a few minutes later, Guinan’s header
released Easton on the left, and he cut in but saw his shot held by
Stockdale. Richard Rose got forward well to support Easton, and his
clipped cross was nodded harmlessly over by the stretching Hooper.
Darlington’s first chance of note fell to Purdie, as he cut in from the
right-hand side and shot with his left-foot; the ball took a slight nick
of a Hereford man and fell a yard or so past the post. Just before
half-time, a Purdie corner was headed back across goal to Michael
Cummins who tried to lob Brown with a header, but the former Chester man
clawed it over the bar.
The
second half started equally, with Purdie looking the main danger for
Darlo. His cross-field run resulted in a free-kick; the set-piece was
blocked, and two following efforts were also blocked as United defended
heroically. At the other end, Rose won the ball in a dangerous area on
the left-hand side and cut in, but failed to test Stockdale from the
angle. Wright had two half-chances in the space of a few minutes;
firstly he headed without power at Brown after Austin had crossed,
whilst a break allowed him to shoot from 20 yards, but again, there was
little power in it and Brown was equal to it.
Purdie
was the only player who really tried to get the ball down and run at
Hereford, this time another forward run and a slipped pass to
Ndumbu-Nsungu allowed the striker to shoot, but he caught it badly and
it fell harmlessly wide. The Bulls took the lead deservedly, after
Hooper had won the ball in the final third. He blocked an attempted
pass, and the ball rebounded to Johnson who immediately gave it back to
Hooper. His pace took him into the box, but his initial shot was saved;
however, he collected again, set himself before blasting into the back
of the net to hand The Bulls the lead.
A
series of subs were made in a short space of time; Theo Robinson
replaced Hooper, whilst Darlington made three changes. Scott Wiseman
came on for Austin, Ndumbu-Nsungu made way for Ricky Ravenhill and
finally, Craig Nelthorpe took the place of Ben Parker. United saw out
the final minutes confidently, and both Guinan and Robinson struck shots
into the arms of Stockdale, whilst the closest Darlington came was in
the midst of a series of corners, Wisemen glided a header past the post.
At
the end of the day, Hereford won and that’s all that they can do, but
other results didn’t go brilliantly for United. Stockport’s victory at
Peterborough means County keep up the pressure on Hereford, whilst Posh
will try to win promotion in their next game at Edgar Street. MK Dons
also failed to win, and they will be going out to win promotion on
Tuesday, when Hereford are the visitors once more. Today though was a
good start to the so called “Week of death” with the defence looking
strong, including Broadhurst who was a worthy replacement for McCombe.
Hereford: Brown, McClenahan, Beckwith, Broadhurst, Rose, Johnson, Smith, Diagouraga, Easton, Guinan, Hooper.
Subs: Esson, Collins, Taylor, Gwynne, Robinson.
Darlington: Stockdale, Austin ,White, Foster, Parker, Purdie, Cummins, Kennedy, Valentine, Wright, Ndumbu-Nsungu.
Subs: Kazimierczak, Miller, Nelthorpe, Ravenhill, Wiseman.