Six years ago today, March 29th 2014, Hereford United was in desperate trouble both on and off the pitch.
Peter Beadle had been put in charge to try and keep the Bulls in the Conference but it was problems off the pitch with the club having run out of funds that were uppermost in supporters minds.
A lookback at the match:
After last Saturday’s upbeat
defeat to Barnet, caretaker manager Pete Beadle only made one change to
the starting XI. Following Rod McDonald’s injury at the Hive, utility
player Rob Purdie slotted into the right full back position making up a
back four of Chris Bush, skipper Luke Graham, Dom Collins and Rob
Purdie. Youth teamer Jarrod Bowen had his home debut, starting on the
right of midfield.
A positive start from the Bulls
was brought to an abrupt halt when striker Sam Smith was harshly tackled
by Andrew Boyce. Smith took the free kick from just outside the area,
but his effort hit the wall and was eventually dealt with.
Jarrod Bowen then passed to James to allow him to run into the box, but his shot was deflected out for a fruitless corner.
After a period of short, neat
passing, Jon Brown linked-up nicely with Bowen who cut into the box, but
he was unlucky to see his low hit the side netting.
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| Jarrod Bowen's Shot Hit The Side Netting |
With 23 minutes on the clock,
Kerr saw his name enter referee Kevin Johnson’s notebook after he fouled
Kingsley James. Following a confrontation between the two, Purdie
delivered the resulting free kick into the danger area, but the
onrushing Sharp couldn’t quite connect with the ball.
Former Carlisle man Andy Cook won
a corner and took it short to Kerr, who crossed the ball into the
18-yard box, but the ball was caught all too easily by United keeper
Daniel Lloyd-Weston.
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| Lloyd-Weston Gathers The Ball |
DLW was then called into action
again minutes later when he deflected Alex Rodman’s shot out for a
corner which was overhit and no danger to Hereford’s back four.
Just before the break, Aswad
Thomas was dispossessed by the spirited youngster Bowen, who quickly
offloaded the ball to Brown, whose cross went harmlessly behind for a
goalkick.
HT: Hereford 0 – Grimsby 0
The first 10 minutes after
restart saw Hereford attempt to open up the Mariner’s defensive line
without real success. Despite the fact Hereford are now starting to pass
the ball, a lack of creativity in the final third is still Hereford’s
Achilles heal.
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| Chris Sharp Felt This Grimsby Boot On His Ankle |
After picking up a knock, Pete Beadle replaced Chris Sharp with Dan Walker.
After rarely threatening in
second half, Grimsby broke the deadlock just past the hour mark. Craig
Disley freed Alex Rodman down the flank and after Chris Bush was caught
flat-footed, he sent a left-footed 18-yard screamer into the top
left-hand corner of the helpless Lloyd-Weston’s net.
Both teams then made double
substitutions within 9 minutes of the opening goal. First Mariners’ boss
Hurst brought on John Lewis and Ross Hannah for Connor Jennings and
Andy Cook, before Pete Beadle replaced Kingsley James and Jarrod Bowen
with Williams and Leadbitter.
Within seconds of winger
Leadbitter being on the field of play he was harshly brought down by
Grimsby’s Kerr, in a similar incident as what Leadbitter experienced
earlier this month at Blundell Park. Scott Kerr rightly saw red after
Referee Johnson showed Kerr his second yellow card of the match.
Substitute Cory Williams created a
goalworthy chance after a period of good play by the hosts. Williams’
shot was deflected wide. The resulting inswinging corner by Artus was
headed wayward and went behind for a goal kick.
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| Sam Smith Heads The Ball |
Probably Hereford’s best chance
to grab at least a point from the game was when Danny Leadbitter crossed
the ball low from the right. His powerful cross come shot slithered
agonisingly wide of McKeown’s with none of United’s players able to get
a toe to the ball.
On the stroke of 90 minutes,
Leadbitter was yet again target of a bad Grimsby foul. Lenell John-Lewis
was then shown a yellow card after a forceful challenge which saw both
players receive treatment.
The Bulls continued to huff and
puff but didn’t create any real threat in the attacking third and the
teams effort went without reward.
FT: Hereford 0 – Grimsby 1
Att: 2,545 with 193 Mariners
Sponsors’ MotM: Midfielder Frankie Artus
Hereford: Lloyd-Weston, Purdie,
Graham, Collins, Bush, Bowen (Leadbitter 72’), James (Williams 72’),
Artus, Brown, Smith, Sharp (Walker 57’). Subs not used: McDonald, Edge.
Grimsby: McKeown, Hatton,
Pearson, Boyce, Thomas, Rodman, Kerr, Disley, Neilson (Thanoj 74’), Cook
(Hannah 64’), Jennings (John-Lewis 64’). Subs not used: Colbeck,
McDonald.
United can count themselves
unlucky not to have gained a point from this match, but as has been the
case for much of the season, the play in the final third is letting them
down. It was nice to see the excellent playing surface actually having
the ball passed on it and obviously the players are responding to Pete
Beadle’s footballing philosophy.
