This afternoon’s first preseason game proved a walk in the park for Hereford, with a handful of trialists helping the Bulls to a 5-0 win.
Hereford got the game underway attacking the city end of the Pegasus ground, stringing together a number of passes as they looked organised in the opening stages. A right-footed shot from captain Calvin Dinsley was tipped off the post by the keeper, and from the resulting corner Jennison Myrie-Williams saw his shot blocked and cleared.
One of Beadle’s new signings, Danny Greenslade, seemed to be on set-piece duty after Hereford lost the services of Bulls stalwart Rob Purdie, but his inswinging corner in the sixth minute just failed to beat the first man.
Myrie-Williams did well to get onto the end of a through-ball from Greenslade, but after chipping the ball over the backtracking defender there wasn’t a Hereford shirt on hand to tap it home.
After having the lion’s share of possession within the opening stages of the game, Jamie Bird opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Bird did well from a very acute angle on the left, with his viscous diagonal shot leaving the home keeper with little chance of preventing the opener.
A flurry of chances followed for Hereford, with new signing Harry White the first to try his luck first. He did well to meet Keyon Reffell’s cross, but Pegasus’ trialist keeper managed to get a hand to it at the near post to prevent a second.
A chance then fell for Billy Murphy, after he raced forward from his unnatural centre-back position, he headed just over the bar when well-placed.
Eliot Richards’ cross from the left-wing saw former Chester striker White with another chance. White’s powerful header was saved by the lightning-quick reactions of Pegasus’ trailist keeper, but the offside flag was already up.
At the other end of the pitch it was proving a quiet afternoon for Hereford’s trialist keeper Marco Radovanovic, with a preseason game against a West Midlands (Regional) League side never going to be the best game to test the 28-year old Australian-born Serbian. He’s spent some time training with Torquay after coming to the UK, as Beadle’s still on the lookout for a second keeper with Martin Horsell the only one currently on the books.
It was Calvin Dinsley who wore the captain’s armband in the first half and he looked bright from the off, doing well to boss in the centre of the park. It was good to see him back in the Hereford side. Hopefully he used the time since being released last season to get himself fit again after struggling with injury.
Midway through the first half, another new signing Callum Sainity got his chance to show fans what he’s made of, coming on to replace Eliot Richards who’d pulled up with a slight knock.
There were some fans left surprised by the decision to re-sign Jennison Myrie-Williams, but he looked bright at times in the rising temperatures. In the 30th minute, his drilled shot was riskily left by the keeper but was narrowly wide.
Three minutes later it was Harry White who doubled the Hereford’s lead at Old School Lane, making the most of a defensive error, bursting through middle and burying the ball in the back of the net.
Two chances followed for Jamie Bird, who always looked bright when he played for Hereford last season. The first chance for the Welshman saw his free kick beat the three man wall, but sailed just wide.
It didn’t take him long to find the back of the net though, as moments later he worked his way to the edge of the penalty area from the left, curling the ball in past the trialist keeper.
The chances kept coming as Hereford weren’t looking short of creativity. Danny Greenslade, who had been one of Beadle’s targets since last year, frequently broke down the wing from his left-back position. Greenslade’s crossed accurately to the head of Calvin Dinsley just before the break, but his headed effort was met with another good save by the keeper.
HT: Pegasus Juniors 0 – Hereford 3
After a comfortable first half performance from Hereford, there were wholesale changes at the break which saw familiar faces like Mike Symons and Lance Smith given a chance to blow out the close-season cobwebs.
It took Hereford a little time to get going again after the break with the three more trialists on the pitch, including former Swansea City midfieder Lee Lucas, Adam Hockey, who it’s thought has spent time with Lads Club last season, and Connor Johnson, thought to be a Wolverhampton Wanderers youngster who spent time on loan at Telford last season.
It was in the 58th minute when Hereford got their fourth goal courtesy of Mike Symons. With a corner delivered into the box from the left, both former Barry Town United player Callum Sainty and Mike Symons rose to meet it, with the latter getting the last touch to head home.
Lance Smith did well to latch onto the end of a long clearance in the 67th minute, showing he hasn’t lost his determination and never give up attitude over the summer. But Smith left it too long to play in Mike Symons who had just drifted offside.
In the 74th minute, a throw in for Peggy just inside in their own half saw captain Kyle Panniers set up nicely by Finch as he tried his luck from range. His shot seemed to beat the backpedalling Marco Radovanovic, but was kept out by the crossbar.
The second half strike partnership of Mike Symons and Lance Smith seemed to work well, which lead to the fifth goal of the afternoon. After being set up by Symons, Smith was lucky the ball returned to him after scuffing his first shot, but he didn’t make the same mistake twice, finding the back of the net from close range.
Adam Hockey had a shot from range that forced the keeper into saving, doing well to keep hold of the ball. Hockey is thought to be a youngster who spent time with another one of the city’s WMRL sides Lads Club last season.
Smith’s work rate remained high, and a sudden burst of pace saw him keep the ball in on the right touchline. After then working his way inside towards the penalty area and looking to Harry Franklin for support, Franklin’s cross was poor and out for a goal kick.
Right-back Franklin came through the Whites’ youth set up and spent much of last season on loan at Merthyr where he impressed.
All in all it was a good run out for the Bulls which gave fans their first chance to take a look at the new signings in a Bulls short. Harder tests to follow for Hereford during the preseason fixture list, but it was a good, comfortable start.
FT: Pegasus Juniors 0 – Hereford 5
Pegasus Juniors: Trialist, Clarke, Rosser, Barnett, Panniers (C), Horton, Payne, Craddock, Harris, Giles-Weston, Young.
Subs: Finch, Rouse, Kendrick, Hillstead, Kamilo.
Hereford: Radovanovic, Thomas, Greenslade, Richards, Liburd, Murphy, Reffell, Dinsley, White, Bird, Myrie-Williams.
Subs: Smith, Symons, Hall, Hockey, Franklin, Sainty, Lucas, Johnstone, Powell.