Match Report - Chester 3 Hereford 0

Hereford headed north this evening hoping to arrest their ominous slide down the league table. This slide started with the defeat at Chorley, which was the last game I reported on for Bulls News. At that time it was obvious that the team needed strengthening but I don't think many expected the collapse would be so dramatic. 

The hopes for a reversal of fortune didn't last long. From early on Chester were quicker to the ball, stronger in the tackle and used the ball better. After fifteen minutes Hereford broke up an attack on Chester's left wing but failed to clear the ball effectively. Chester got the ball back and worked it into the penalty area to their number nine, Matty Hughes, who seemed to dance around the Hereford defence for an age before knocking it past Horsell for a one-nil lead.

Hereford's midfield play was mainly sideways. I don't know if it's lack of movement in the front men or lack of confidence in the midfield but no one could find, or even attempt, a pass through the Chester defence. Hereford's only effort on goal worthy of reporting was a long range effort from (I think - my eye sight isn't what it was) Harry White. 

Marlon Jackson With Just The Keeper To Beat.

Harry White Can Only Watch As The Chester Keeper Gathers

The last noteworthy event of the first half was the injury to Hughes, the Chester goal scorer. He went down in the area after a fairly harmless push by Liburd, and writhed around, largely ignored by everyone, before eventually being helped off and being subbed.

The first twenty minutes of the second half were much better for Hereford. They managed to put some sustained pressure on the Chester goal, the closest to a goal being a strong header by McGrath which the keeper tipped over the bar. 

Just as things were looking better, Hereford contrived to cock it up. Over elaborating (or faffing about as it's otherwise known) resulted in Chester gaining possession. They switched the ball across to the left wing with a long diagonal ball to Pritchard who raced in on goal before drilling the ball across Horsell into the far corner.

By this time Hereford were down to ten men. McGrath had already been booked for a laughable attempt to win a penalty with a dive Tom Daley would have been proud of. He then got the second yellow and his marching orders for a rash challenge. That prompted the substitution of Dinsley for White. Presumably an attempt to bolster midfield to make up for the loss of McGrath, but it immediately weakened the already sluggish attack. 

I have to be honest, my attention was wandering by this time, thinking about the news of the new coaching appointment, which going by the comments I could hear around me has left everyone fairly underwhelmed. It's all very well the board planning a grand strategy to take the club forward but while they are busy thinking how League status can be regained the club could be leaving this division in the wrong direction. 

At some point Chester made it three nil with a fine diving header at the far post by Smalley.

The new regime have got a job on their hands to rebuild confidence in the team and start doing the basics right. Maybe Saturday's cup game can provide some relief.

As a footnote, the second half contained one of the most petty examples of unsportsmanlike behaviour I've seen. Greenslade used a towel to dry the ball before heaving a long throw into the Chester area. He dropped it on the sideline, and a minute later one of the Chester subs walked down the touchline, picked the towel up and dumped it in a bin so it couldn't be used again. That's proper football.

Hereford: Horsell, Thomas, Greenslade, Richards, Smith, Cullinane-Liburd, Bird, McGrath, White, Jackson, Hall.

Subs: Lam, Green, Dinsley, Harrison, Sainty.

Harwood Bull