Following a stalemate at Edgar
Street on Saturday we go again at 7:45 this evening, this time at Plainmoor,
Torquay, in an FA Cup second qualifying round replay against Truro City, with
Welling awaiting the winners in the next round.
There will be relief all round
from the Hereford contingent that the travelling distance has been reduced by
about 170 miles due to Truro’s temporary relocation to Devon, although quite
how their home league gate is holding up to any degree in the face of such a
long journey is anyone’s guess.
While a replay wouldn’t have
been on many supporters’ wish lists at 3pm on Saturday, it does at least count
as the final game in Eliot Richards’ and Calvin Dinsley’s suspensions, meaning
that they’ll be back available for selection in the league game against
Spennymoor on Saturday. It’s also new director of football Tim Harris’s first
game officially in charge.
I’m certainly no tactical
expert, but it’s been frustrating of late to see a lot of laboured,
lateral-passing build-up play, giving defences an age to set up solidly when a
cross or through ball is finally attempted, and that’s surely why the goals
scored column looks so sparse. However, that style of play emerges when
confidence is low. Recent results of course haven’t been good, but, as Marlon
Jackson has acknowledged, all the off-the-pitch upheaval has done nothing to
keep the players settled.
I firmly believe that this squad is good enough to
get into the play-offs this season if the players are allowed to concentrate
solely on playing football matches.
After a promising yet fruitless
first half performance on Saturday from the Bulls, there’s a suspicion that
what’s needed is an early goal from a yard out off someone’s backside to turn a
corner and get the season moving again.
While the ‘concentrate on the league’
phrase is well-used, a decent Cup run can often spark an upturn in league form
too. If that early goal can go in, then maybe it’ll give the players the
confidence they need to start playing and passing again.
This is a strong, tall and
direct Truro team, but they can be turned round with pace and precision. A bit
of luck in front of goal can breed confidence, which in turn can result in a
return to some of that pacey and precise football we saw against Blyth and in
the second half against Leamington, performances which admittedly seem like a
lifetime ago now, given all that’s happened in the interim.
It’ll be interesting this
evening to see whether Tim Harris sees fit to tweak the formation or starting
XI Gareth Davies and Ryan Green opted for on Saturday.
Lance Smith’s performance when
less than 100% fit was one bright spot, and he’s showing that this certainly
isn’t a division too far for him. Hopefully with a few days rest he’s fully fit
and available to start, whether up front or out wide.
With Richards and Dinsley still
suspended, it’s to be assumed that the promising experiment of playing Kieran Thomas in a midfield holding role is to be continued, particularly if Billy
Murphy is still sidelined.
With Greener still struggling
and Jordan Liburd taking a whack in the eye in the first match, it could be the
two young Bristol City centre backs who start, although it’s thought that the
captain will recover in time.
An autumn evening at the seaside
with the promise of a glamour tie next against sleeping giants Welling. Who
says the romance of the Cup is dead?
COYW