The Bulls welcomed Alfreton on a bright day. Ryan Lloyd was injured so Yan Klukowski reorganised. The impressive three centre back combination of Andoh, Pendley and Lilly lined up in front of Visser. Wing backs Hodgkiss and Latty-Fairweather flanked Thompson-Sommers and Hanson. Jarvis and Holmes played off Oppong. Pinchard dropped to the bench joining McLean, Klukowski and Barnett. It was very good to see Storey fit enough to be named as a substitute. There were 46 from Derbyshire in the crowd of 1,771.
Alfreton are one of the least entertaining teams in the division so anyone slipping away for an early Valentine’s weekend made the right decision. There was little love in the air, rather a battle for the right to play. The first half was a contrast in styles. Alfreton looking to hit Rhead as early as possible with long balls and crosses. Hereford trying to play through the press especially down the wings.
In age of throw in coaches, set places coaches and more surely there’s a place for a timewasting coach? Alfreton manager Billy Heath is international standard. Keeper Willis is the master of turning six seconds into thirty six before releasing the ball. Dayle Southwell heading to take a corner suddenly decides he needs to undo his shoelaces and tie them up again. And above all chief waster Rhead the captain. He started as he meant to go on.
His first clash with Orrin saw him go down claiming a head injury. Referee Maskrey piously came over indicating that this was serious and calling over physios. Pendley got up and told the referee that there was no head contact and accepting this the referee got the game going. Sheepish Rhead gingerly got up and as the referee ran away put up two fingers to Maskrey’s back, no doubt doing his own personal check on number of fingers and whether he was still dazed.
An especial award to central defender Dominic Smith with the best exhibition of shirt pulling I have seen this season. He marked, hugged, pushed and clipped Oppong very effectively. With the hypocrisy of a home fan I would be very pleased to have him in my side.
Football? Well there was not that much in the first half. Rhead won lots of headers but Pendley mostly challenged, with Andoh and Lilly picking up the pieces to avoid the knock downs troubling Hereford. Hodgkiss got down the right, playing a one two with Oppong and crossed to the far post where fellow wing back volleyed high when he should have hit the target.
Towards the end of the half Jarvis started to get some more joy down the right and on one occasion got deep and crossed but Oppong had not got far enough into the box. Holmes at the far post waited for the cross to come to him rather than attacking it. One of the three defenders in the way cleared it.
Maskrey was warning for some time wasting but taking no action when the ball was kicked away so Alfreton kept doing it. They had several chunky fouls and finally Teale was booked but half the Ofton players could have been carded. As so often it was one of the lesser offenders who was punished. A flat half with lots of Alfreton anti-football looking for a point from the start.
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| Was Zac Lilly Pulled Down in The Box? |
Visser had his quietest afternoon in a Bulls shirt a tribute to how well organised the defence was. From distance Thompson-Sommers tried a vicious swerving shot and it almost bamboozled Willis who clasped at it almost comically failing to deal with it and somehow knocking the ball up on to the bar.
This was Thompson-Sommers best defensive display for the Bulls standing up to the physical challenge taking his turns to battle with Rhead and hoicking away when needed. He was harshly booked for a tactical foul. It felt more as if Maskrey was evening things up rather than issuing yellows to a standard.
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| Dan Jarvis Brought Down? |
Oppong gets better with each game and he’s encountering lots of physical battles but he is struggling to show a goal threat. On the hour Yan swapped Oppong and Holmes for Barnett and Storey. Tyrone was welcomed with a heavy Cantrell challenge which earned an overdue booking. Alfreton changed Thewlis for Ceesay. Storey got clear on the right but his shot was high nearer the Stowford Press adverts on top of the Meadow End than the goal.
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| Sub Tyrone Barnett With A Shot That Went Wide |
McLean came on for the tiring Jarvis. Four added minutes but it should have been nearer fourteen. In added time Wiley was booked. It showed how much Maskrey missed that Smith who committed the most fouls did not get carded. With Maskrey having played four minutes of added time Heath brought on Salam for Southwell to waste more time.
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| Sub Miles Storey Gets Past The Keeper But The Ball Went Out Of Play |
The Bulls were not incisive enough and Alfreton got the point they came for. Hereford’s defence was excellent and the second coming of Zak Lilly gets better week by week. Match sponsor Paul Sheeran astutely chose Zak as man of the match. His long diagonal passes were one of the ways Hereford looked most likely to get some joy. His all round distribution was crisp, and he gets battled. As Josh Gowling was fond of saying he knows a good centre back when he sees one. The Pendley-Lilly partnership looks very sound and allows Andoh to advance.
I am looking forward to Curzon Ashton next Saturday, they play football.