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Next Game: Banbury Away On Friday March 29th Kick-Off 3.00pm

Tuesday, December 08, 2020

Defensive frailties cost Bulls in second half capitulation at Chester

Defensive frailties again cost Hereford as the Bulls went down 5-3 to Chester in another remarkable National League North game.

The Bulls led 2-0 thanks to a Tom Owen-Evans brace, but Declan Weeks' goal on the stroke of half time gave Chester a lifeline which they emphatically took after the break. Two howlers from goalkeeper Paul White put Chester ahead and they then went 4-2 up. Kennedy Digie did pull a goal back for Hereford, but Chester sealed the win before the end. It means that Josh Gowling's side have now scored six goals in the last two games, but have only one goal to show for their efforts. And with high-flying AFC Fylde next up, the Bulls will have to eradicate their mistakes or they could be shipping even more goals.

Gowling made one change to the team that played Kettering last time out, with Owen-Evans replacing Kelsey Mooney.

Both sides had early chances, with Kyle Finn seeing efforts going off target for Hereford.

The Bulls then took the lead in the 22nd minute. A good counter attack saw Lenell John-Lewis cross for Owen-Evans to tap home.

And remarkably, the Bulls doubled their lead seven minutes before half time. Again, it was Owen-Evans on the scoresheet, firing the ball home after Dan Jones had set him up.

Hereford went into the game with a good away record, and it looked like they would be getting another three points on the road.

But the Bulls' lead was reduced to just one goal when Weeks - who was on trial at Hereford in pre-season - smashed home an unstoppable strike on the stroke of half time. And in a remarkable opening eight minutes to the second half, Chester were unbelievably 3-2 up thanks to two Paul White howlers. First, the Bulls keeper fumbled at a header which led to Danny Elliott scoring, then he punched a corner into his own net. Just two minutes later and Hereford almost made it 3-3, but John-Lewis' effort smashed against the crossbar.

Chester then went 4-2 up in the 63rd minute. If the second and third goals were poor goals to concede, there was nothing that White could do for the others. This time it was Joe Johnson who rifled the ball home.

One would think that was game, set and match for the home side, but Hereford reduced the arrears to 4-3 in the 73rd minute. It looked like goalkeeper Louis Gray may have punched the ball into his own net off Kennedy Digie, but the goal was credited to the Bulls defender.

Gray made emends though in the fine fashion five minutes later by denying Finn with a spectacular save, while at the other end, White flapped at another corner.

Chester sealed the win in the 85th minute when Danny Livesay met a free-kick at the back post. 

It means that Hereford have conceded 12 goals at The Deva Stadium in their last three visits, albeit this is the first time under Gowling's tutelage.

As a defender himself, the Bulls boss will be seething with the amount of goals his side are conceding, especially as it looked like the team may be solid at the back this season going by their early performances. 

The team do look like they have goals in them and will create enough chances in games, but some of the goals they have let in lately have been shambolic, and that needs to change fast. The players will have the backing of a home crowd on Saturday though, which will hopefully provide them with a lift. There were 407 in attendance at The Deva, all home fans of course, and that support probably did play a small part, especially when Chester got back into the game. 

However, the Bulls fans will only take so much and will not be very forgiving if they keep conceding silly goals. 

Hereford: White, Hodgkiss, Grimes, Coke (Camwell 46), Owen-Evans, Finn, Digie, John-Lewis, McQuilkin (Klukwoski 85), Lloyd, D Jones. Subs not used: Hall, Nabi, Whittingham.

Attendance: 407.