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| Hereford's Opening Goal Was Scored By Jaanai Gordon |
Harwood Bull reports from Chorley where the Magpies claimed all three points in their game against Hereford yesterday.
I don’t know what the Hereford FC players were saying to each other when they came off the pitch, but judging by their demeanour, body language, call it what you will, I imagine it was something like “What happened there?”. Chorley (the “Magpies”) are one of the form teams in the division and the Bulls matched then in the first half and went into the break 1-0 up. Then 20 minutes or so of chaotic defending in the second half allowed Chorley to race into a 3-1 lead, and if it hadn’t been for some outstanding saves by Hall it could have been a lot worse. The Bulls staged a late rally and pulled one back but couldn’t salvage a point.
Hereford’s starting line-up was the same as on Tuesday, and showed only one change from the previous away game at Farsley. This can only be a good sign – Gowling knows his best side and they seem to be building an understanding.
There was a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch and it’s to both sides credit that they managed to produce an entertaining game under the conditions, although both took a while to adjust. Long balls were overhit by Hereford who had the wind at their backs, and the home keeper’s kicks were being held back by the wind.
The Chorley Manager Was Given A Yellow Card But Nobody Seemed To Know Why
Hereford’s opening goal on 14 minutes came from a quick
low kick from his hands by Brandon Hall which released McLean down the
right. He cut in from the wing, looking to get a shot in with his left
foot but was denied the chance by home defence. He squared the ball to
Gordon whose first time shot thumped against the post and into the net.
Hereford continued to play well with Vincent and Lloyd running the midfield. Lloyd produced a good save from the home keeper with a thirty yard drive and Owen-Evans and Kouhyar both had chances. Chorley came back strongly but the Bulls defended well, with Pearce’s reading of the game and organisation a key factor.
Pearce With A Shot That The Chorley Keeper Turned Away For A Corner
As half time approached the pressure from
Chorley intensified and they got in behind the Bulls defence several
times in wide positions but couldn’t make the most of the opportunities.
Then in time added on Hall made a terrific close range save from
Ustabasi to preserve the lead.
Half time: Chorley FC 0 Hereford FC 1
The second half started brightly for Hereford with no hint of what was to come. McLean raced down the right wing, beat the full back and squared it to TOE whose crisply struck shot was blocked by a Chorley defender.
Then it all went horribly wrong. The home side began a period of sustained pressure, and the Bulls’ earlier composure at the back was replaced by increasingly panicky defending. They were unable to clear their lines properly, were allowing free headers and there was no “out” ball to an attacker to give some respite to the defence. On 58 minutes a free kick was conceded just outside the penalty area. Hall had already made a couple of excellent saves but was unable to do anything about the free kick. Adam Blakeman curled the ball up, over the wall and down into the bottom corner to level the score line.
Chorley continued to batter Hereford and scored twice more in the 65th and 70th minutes. Both came from throw ins on Hereford’s left, a fact bemoaned by Gowling in his post match interview. The first came when the ball was flicked on to Holmes whose low shot found the bottom corner through a crowd of players. The second came when Hall scored from close range after another long throw.
Between the second and third Chorley goals Hereford made some changes. The substitutions followed the pattern of previous matches with Storey on for McLean and then Touray for Gordon. Storey’s powerful direct running seemed to put some energy back into the Bulls attack, Touray’s contribution was less obvious.
After 77 minutes the home side thought they had scored again, this time from a corner, but it was disallowed for a foul on Hall. Shortly after Klukowski replaced Kouhyar and for the last 10 minutes the Bulls fought hard to get something out of the game. Storey reduced the deficit when a long ball was completely misjudged by the home defence and he took the chance well. Storey tried to grab the ball to speed up the restart and the defender wouldn’t let it go, and the usual pointless scuffle followed.
The Bulls last chance to save something from the game came when the ball was only partially cleared from a corner. It fell to Pollock just outside the area. Unfortunately, he showed why he’s a centre back not a striker and the ball looped harmlessly into the crowd.
Full time: Chorley FC 3 Hereford FC 2
Hereford lineup:
Hereford: Hall, Hodgkiss, Pearce, McLean (Storey), Kouhyar (Klukowski), Owen-Evans, Gordon (Touray), Lloyd, Pollock, Vincent, Revan, Hodgkiss.
Subs not used: Egan , Gillela
This was perhaps a bit of a reality check for Hereford. They played some very good football at times, with some neat interpassing between the midfielders, and McLean’s pace and control was always a threat. However the disastrous defending in the second half presented the game to Chorley and if they can’t eradicate defensive lapses like that from their play then the chances of promotion via the playoffs are slim indeed. While some play off involvement would be welcome, if only for the additional revenue, I’d be happy if we can finish in the top half, with the core of a good squad that we can retain for next season so that Josh doesn’t have to completely rebuild again. Sadly, once again financial worries are rearing their ugly head, and I don’t see how he can get the budget assurances he’s asking for.
In the meantime we just have to get on with it, one game at a time.
On a more relaxed note this season’s away games have been enjoyable experiences so far. The atmosphere is generally good, the home supporters, staff and stewards are usually friendly and even the catering is good. For what it’s worth my top 3 meat pies are Guiseley, Farsley and Chorley in that order. I did try and explain to a Bulls supporter what a butter pie was – it’s buttery mashed potato in a pastry case (yes, really) - I’ve lived in Lancashire for 13 years now and still not been tempted to try one. Also I’ve been to three games at the Etihad to watch Man City this season as a friend of mine occasionally has a spare season ticket, and I can honestly say that I totally prefer a day out watching Hereford, win or lose, to watching the elite players in action.
Come on you whites!
Harwood Bull