Hereford FC make the short trip
into Worcestershire to face Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough on Boxing Day,
kick off 3pm, the first of three matches in six days. All three are against
teams currently lower than Hereford (although admittedly two are against the
same team), so the fixture computer has done all it can to help the cause. Depressingly
however, there’s nothing in recent performances to suggest that these back-to-back
games will return much in the way of points or even goals, but at least
Harriers are having as torrid a time this season as the Bulls, so perhaps there’s
some hope.
Despite the two teams being
similarly awful so far this season, one key difference is that Harriers do
actually have a striker deserving of the moniker. Ashley Chambers has ten goals
to his name, and looks to be a danger.
Another cause for concern is
that new interim manager Jimmy Shan seems to be quickly having a positive
impact. Harriers picked up a creditable point at Altrincham on Saturday (where
Hereford shared six goals with the hosts recently, although Alty’s share was of
very generous proportions), and prior to that beat Guiseley 2-1 away.
Last season, the festive pair
of local derbies saw the Bulls somewhat fortuitously win the Edgar Street match
1-0 before some familiarly poor defending saw them go down 2-1 at Aggborough
after taking the lead. Harriers went on to finish just five points off the
play-offs, but off-the-field issues this season have affected performances.
They are, however, just two points behind Hereford as the Bulls slide gradually
but seemingly determinedly into the bottom half of the table. If Blyth and
Bradford weren’t already cut adrift in the two relegation places perhaps a bit
more urgency and a bit less complacency would be witnessed in matches.
Perhaps not.
For Hereford, Reece Styche will
presumably start against his former club, and in facing his old employers he
may be able to dredge up some of the motivation that seemed to be missing from
his performance on Saturday in the insipid 0-0 draw with Guiseley. With options
up front seemingly very limited, it has been disappointing to see Jordan
Nicholson’s apparent renaissance against York as something of a one-off. He has
since returned to being a shadow of the lively and threatening player he looked
in August and September. However, with performances all over the pitch not
really up to standard for the majority of the season, it’s probably unfair to
single out those two individuals.
Another ex-Kiddy player, Martin
Riley, looked on Saturday to have suffered a recurrence of the shoulder injury
he sustained earlier in the season, and looks likely to now miss the Christmas
programme, and possibly a number of matches after that. Quite a shame as he was
starting to exert a steadying influence on the defenders around him. Jack
Bodenham will be expected to come in alongside Jordan Cullinane-Liburd in the centre
of defence, a partnership you wouldn’t necessarily describe as rock solid,
although at least Bodenham will be playing in his correct position rather than
at left back.
With Harriers’ stock seemingly on
the rise, and Hereford’s resembling that of Thomas Cook, this one looks very
tough indeed. There would of course normally be a large travelling contingent
making the trip on Boxing Day, but recent performances could see some
supporters prefer The Great Escape and a turkey sandwich on the sofa. Most of those
who do travel will do so more in hope than expectation, especially given the
Bulls’ abject away form, but will no doubt make themselves heard.
So, 0-3 then, a three-minute hat-trick
from Styche sparking him into life for the rest of the season, giving a big
boost all round ahead of what should be eminently winnable home matches against
Leamington, and then Kiddy again on New Year’s Day, and a few hundred
stay-at-home Bulls supporters choking on their turkey sandwiches wishing they’d
made the effort, cursing Steve McQueen and his silly motorbike.
Steve McQueen in an HFC match
preview. Not sure how that happened.
A very merry Christmas to you
all!
COYW