Report: Hereford 1 - York City 1

Hereford managed to fight back from going a goal-down at home to York City on Saturday afternoon to snatch a point from one of the play-off favourites.
Macaulay Langstaff broke the deadlock midway through the first half for the visitors, but after a spirited start to the second half, Mike McGrath netted the equaliser 20 minutes after the restart.

A recurrence of Keyon Reffell's injury saw him come off early in last week's defeat to Bradford (Park Avenue) as Jennison Myrie-Williams started in his place in the only change to the starting XI.

Mike McGrath Gets His Head To The Ball But His Effort Went Wide

Hereford started brightly with three early chances in the first four minutes of the game putting York's keeper and former Bull Adam Bartlett under pressure. An early free kick for the Whites saw Eliot Richards' delivery find the head of Harry White, but his header was narrowly wide of the upright.

Moments later Bartlett failed to hold onto Richard's tame shot but reacted quickly to claim it, before Jennison Marie-Williams forced the keeper into making a save to deny his shot from outside the area.

After the flurry of chances for Hereford, a corner to York in the fifth minute saw Jake Wright head Josh Law's corner just wide of the post, before chances started to become few and far between.

Other than a couple of dubious challenges from either side, including Jennison Myrie-Williams picking up a yellow for his tackle on Adriano Moke, nothing of note happened until the visitors broke the deadlock with 24 minutes on the clock.

Out of character for stalwart defender Ryan Green missed what should've been an easy-interception of Jonathon Parkin's through-ball, followed by a close-range finish from Macaulay Langstaff saw the Minstermen take the lead.

A Chance For Harry White

Ryan Green Rises And Heads Towards Goal

Six minutes before the break two great chances for Hereford should've seen them pull themselves back level but couldn't beat a resistant York. Billy Murphy's corner from the right found Ryan Green at the back-post to head towards goal, but Bartlett was well-positioned to punch the ball back into the congested penalty area. As the rebound fell to Harry White, he struck his shot towards the top right-hand corner of the net, but Kallum Griffiths' headed clearance off the line prevent him netting the equaliser.

As half time approached, Mike McGrath's long-range rising shot proved an easy-catch for Bartlett, and then likewise at the other end of the pitch Martin Horsell rose to hold onto Joseph Tate's far-post header from Josh Law's free kick

HT: Hereford 0 - York City 1

As the second half started off slowly with neither team threatening, it wasn't until 11 minutes after the restart when the first real-chance came. Making the most of Jordan Lam's mistake, Kallum Griffiths stole the ball off the recent signing after Josh Law's ball forward, but he couldn't find the target with his diagonal shot from the right.

Hereford then made two substitutes as Lance Smith and Jamie Bird replaced Harry White and Jordan Lam respectively, and the changes seemed to give the hosts a sudden burst of energy.

In the 64th minute Adam Bartlett kept York's lead intact following a stunning double-save, firstly denying captain Jordan Cullinane-Liburd's headed effort, with Ryan Green's follow-up chance also being kept out by Bartlett.

But a minute later Hereford equalised. McGrath's low volley from outside the area tricked past the static keeper, with the 2,558-strong crowd almost in disbelief that a shot that lacked any real conviction turned out to be the equaliser.

Martin Horsell was called into action in the 78th minute as he raced off his line to snatch the ball from Hamza Bencherif as he looked to connect with Josh Law's aerial ball. With York City looking to regain the lead, Simon Heslop sent Langstaff through on goal, but his shot from an acute angle cleared the bar as Horsell watched on.

Hereford once again started to pile on the pressure as they tried to break-down the Minstermen defence who were sitting-deep. As full-time approached, substitute Calvin Dinsley saw an effort from the edge of the box sail wide.

Hereford's last chance of the game fell to sponsors' man of the match Jordan Cullinane-Liburd. After Mike McGrath floated a free kick towards the back post, Cullinane-Liburd got his head to the ball, but it narrowly beat the crossbar with the keeper well-beaten

FT: Hereford 1 - York City 1
Att: 2,558 (196 away)

Sponsors MotM: Jordan Cullinane-Liburd

Hereford: Horsell, Thomas, Greenslade, Murphy (Dinsley - 82'), Green, Cullinane-Liburd (c), Lam (Bird - 59'), McGrath, White (L. Smith - 59'), Richards, Myrie-Williams.

Subs not used: H. Smith, Mayebi.

York City: Bartlett, Griffiths, Ferguson, Bencherif, Tate, Moke (Penn - 86'), Law, Heslop, Parkin (McAughtie - 75'), Wright (York - 60'), Langstaff.

Subs not used: Parslow, Whitley.

Next Game: Brackley Town Away on Saturday 8th September at 3pm.