So, where were we before the last rude interruption to a season that is increasingly proving to be very hard to keep track of? Hereford FC had just played in an FA Trophy match with no recognised striker. Guess what? Hereford FC are just about to play in an FA Trophy match with no recognised striker. The difference this time is of course that the club doesn’t actually possess one any longer.
Following Lenell John-Lewis’s departure to Grimsby, at the time of writing the Bulls go into this home tie with Leamington looking distinctly light up top. The goalscoring form of Tom Owen-Evans provides some hope of attacking threat, but doing the business against lowly Stamford in the last round doesn’t necessarily suggest that it’ll be an easy trick to repeat against the Brakes.
With it looking possible, not to say probable, that the Trophy will be the Bulls’ sole focus for the rest of the season, this fifth round encounter takes on some added importance. The prize money for winning this and any subsequent ties would no doubt help to keep a semi-mothballed football club afloat, but it would all be an incredibly challenging scenario for the players and coaching staff, with the likelihood that subsequent ties would be against match-fit full-time National League squads, with the top tier of the non-league game looking set to vote to continue its league season. In contrast, National League North clubs look set to call time on the season when the bafflingly long-drawn out voting window closes.
These two last met in the league on 28 December, a largely forgettable 0-0 draw really, but one that at least offered more evidence that this squad of players possesses an admirable steeliness and a good deal of potential. What a shame then that there could end up being an awful lot of ‘what ifs’ and ‘If onlys’ being talked about in the absence of any league football between now and August.
Leamington
were having a reasonable season before the current break, with ex-Bull Lance Smith in good form.
Injuries prevented Smith from showing what he might truly be capable of at
Edgar Street, but he was universally popular for his excellent attitude and
apparent affection for the club. Another ex-Hereford player now at Leamington
is Simeon Maye, who looked really very good at times during his brief spell as
a Bull. Sam Osborne has scored the best part of half the Brakes’ goals this
season, with only Matt McClure at Gloucester more prolific in the NLN, but, like Hereford, Leamington have lost their main goal threat, with Osborne departing for ambitious Fylde in January.
Two rounds ago Leamington held Wrexham to a 0-0 draw in Wales in the FA Trophy, before beating them 6-5 on penalties to join Hereford in the next round. In that next round against Kettering an excitable Mike McGrath set an unusual captain’s example by getting sent off in the first half following a laying of hands on the ref, before allegedly giving the Leamington dressing room a bit of a makeover. Two of the ex-Bull's colleagues were so keen to see the job he’d done on the furnishings that they also got themselves sent off. The Brakes took full advantage of the chaos to win 3-0. Generally though they seem to specialise in 1-1 draws.
Hereford also finished their tie last time at Stamford light on numbers, with Ben Pollock and Luke Haines both sent off. The former has had his red card rescinded, however, and is available here, but the Swindon loanee’s suspension stands so he’ll miss out.
Callum Rowe looked like a very useful addition to the squad in that game, and his home debut will be eagerly anticipated. If the left back can do a job as a stand-in centre forward all the better. The current confusion over Giles Coke and his on-off move to Grimsby means that he’ll be missing.
Some of the previously injured players such as Dan Jones and Kennedy Digie have now had several weeks to recover and could be available to play a part, and newcomer George Forsyth looks to have some potential, and could be someone supporters can look forward to featuring next season as Josh Gowling looks ahead.
This match was originally scheduled to take place following a ridiculously busy and tough-looking January programme of fixtures. In fact, just two games were staged last month, the away draw at Kidderminster and that win against Stamford. Those results stretched the Bulls’ unbeaten run to seven, but of course that run owed something to the goals of a certain LJL.
From a purely footballing perspective, a good performance and progress to the quarter finals here, coupled with the club’s stated desire to complete the season, would make it all the more frustrating if a majority of NLN clubs vote, as expected, to call time on the 2020/21 season.
COYW