It’s the second and last of Hereford
FC’s ‘true test’ August Bank Holiday matches tomorrow, as they make the
relatively short trip up Offa’s Dyke to Chester, in Chestershire, kick off 3pm
at Sealand Rd, no the Deva, no the Swansway Chester Stadium.
The first leg of the true test
was so disjointed by being split into quarters, and by Brackley choosing to
play extremely well in one of those quarters after being gifted their goal, but
looking really quite average for the rest, that it’s hard to draw too many
conclusions.
Three conclusions are that
firstly Brandon Hall and Simeon Maye are looking like very good signings indeed, secondly that poor Raheem Hanley looks lost at left back, and finally that the centre
backs are still switching off at times, despite looking solid, strong and skilful for
the majority of the time, and in doing so are giving goals to the opposition
that the opposition seldom give to Hereford. OK, that switching off
frequently lasted for 45 minutes last season (and not just at the back), whereas at least
it now only lasts for a few seconds, although long enough to score a goal.
So OK, there are a few
conclusions after all.
Chester are unbeaten this
season, although unlike sole fellow unbeatenists York they’ve drawn half of their six matches, leaving
them just a point ahead of Hereford. Managed by arch-purveyors of the art of the charm offensive Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson, in their second shouty season with the Seals after leaving Salford 'by mutual consent', Chester are looking more like fulfilling the faith the bookies
had in them last season when installing them as promotion favourites with
Stockport. Very early in 2018/19 they inexplicably shipped eight goals to Blyth
and never quite recovered to mount a concerted championship challenge, although surprisingly Messrs Morley and Johnson got through that mauling in the northeast without their hearts exploding.
With the likes of defender Danny Livesey, who has won this division already with previous clubs, experienced fellow defender Simon Grand, and a clutch of players from the managers' previous club Salford, the squad is peppered with gritty get-it-done merchants who know how to succeed at this level.
For the Bulls, this could be a
good one for Reece Styche to start in, if fit, having looked lively in a late cameo
performance on Saturday. His streetwise know-how would certainly irritate the
Chester defence in a way that the Brackley defence wasn’t irritated on Saturday. It was
noticeable, however, that he seemed to feel his shoulder after a Brackley
defender impressively contrived to somehow commit ten or so fouls on him in one
laboured movement shortly after the Bulls' striker came on.
It’s a tricky one, and despite
the Bulls’ lofty position in the league it’s still very hard to judge how much
of an impact this squad can make over the course of the season. Perhaps given
that lofty position, and the fact that performances have been largely just
OKish to date, it backs up what many have been feeling about the much-vaunted
strength of the National League North not really being there this season. If
that’s the case there’s a real opportunity to sneak promotion using the impetus
of a new manager and then have a bit of fun with your Wrexhams, your Notts
Countys etc next season, who presumably would bring a few more than the 20-odd supporters
Brackley mustered.
Anyway, it’s high time Chester
lost one, and if Keiran Thomas is fit, allowing Jared Hodgkiss to fill in at left
back, there’s immediately a bit more solidity to the team defensively. Let’s hope the Forest wild boar has recovered and is raring to go, but not so much that he gets sent off after five minutes.
I’m away on my hols for the Boston
game, but your normal match preview service will resume prior to the Leamington match and
continue until the bitter (or sweet?) end in April.
COYW