Andy Wood reports from Pims Park.
Speeding across the Fens in a fast car trying to reach Peterborough before kick off. Word comes over the radio that the Prime Minister has lost the first leadership vote and we are in a car owned by their main challenger.
But travelling in one of Michael Heseltine’s cars, piloted by a cell of North Herefordshire Maoists, heading to an FA Cup first round replay at London Road on 20 November 1990 is not tonight’s story. Back then, metal fatigue showed on the Iron Lady, Mel Pejic grabbed a late consolation and we were colder than we had ever been before or since on an away terrace.
Thirty four year’s later its a different kind of ride down memory lane as the Thameslink train to Peterborough stops at Biggleswade (site of our promotion from Southern League Prem) and other former foes for one season St Neots (pronounced just Say No).
Tonight looked like it was going to be a test.
The Turbines (me neither) had won their last two scoring 7 goals without reply and in managerial talisman Michael Gash have a striker who always upsets us.
After Saturday’s disappointment Caddis sent out a side to put the Sports on the backfoot. Playing Cowley and Phillips up top, with Willo just behind and new loan signing Jid Okeke coming straight in on the right wing.
Hereford took the game to Peterborough and on four minutes Williams turned well in the box and his shot flashed across the goal. On fourteen minutes Skinner played a lovely ball through the channel to Cowley on the right who crossed to Phillips who should’ve done better.
The breakthrough came on sixteen minutes with a cross from the right, Phillips shot was blocked and Williams had a fairly straightforward tap in.
The goal spread confidence in the team as did Okeke’s debut showing lots of vision, speed and an ability to beat his man.
For the next ten minutes the Whites were purring with great movement up front between Cowley, Babos and Williams. Playing off the front two gave Willo more time on the ball and saved his 37 year old legs needing to chase down lost causes.
The second goal arrived on 26 minutes with Sports failing to deal with a corner from the left which dropped to Ollie Southern through a crowd of players to give him a tap in inside the six yard box.
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| Andy Williams Celebrating Ollie Southern's Goal |
The half played out with Hereford looking the stronger and faster. Cowley was unlucky to be booked for a firm challenge on 37 minutes which might have gone unpunished had it not happened in front of the Peterborough bench.
The second half opened with a booking for Peterborough defender Connor Johnson who managed to lift Okeke six feet into the air which didn’t seem to harm Okeke but left Johnson with a yellow and an injury which led to his substitution soon after.
It looked as though the first half might follow the same pattern as the first when Cameron’s deft flick sent through Phillips who was caught marginally offside.
On 57 minutes Hereford looked like they might grab a third when Pond’s Route Zero kick landed in the Peterborough penalty area. If Cowley had caught it on the half volley it would have been a memorable goal but he took it wide then lobbed it over for Willo to hit with a spectacular volley which cannoned off a Sports defender.
A minute later was almost a repeat with Pond’s long clearance again reaching the Sports box and this time Cowley shot across the keeper and wide of the top corner.
But as Okeke tired, probably a lack of game time at Stockport, Hereford’s three strikers were getting disconnected and the midfield was overrun by the Sports as the half wore on.
The Whites started defending deeper and giving the Sports a lot of space on the wings and in the middle of the park. But given their recent goal scoring sprees Peterborough didn’t create much in the way of goal scoring opportunities despite a string of corners.
On 74 minutes Ceesay came on for Cowley, who looked like he had taken a knock on his heel in a heavy challenge, and took up Cowley’s more central role.
On 78 minutes the Whites conceded one of those goals that we seem to give away all too easily this season. Credited as an own goal to Downing from a Peterborough corner the ball dropped to only White shirts. From the other end of the ground it looked like Cameron had nodded it in before Pond had the chance to throw it into the back of the net. Pure slapstick in the same old slow motion.
Just at the point that syndicates in Bangkok would have been putting all the chips on a score draw and a second goal for the home side the least likely thing happened. Okeke surged into the Sports’ box from the restart, with renewed energy, he skipped around a third player, slipped the ball to Ceesay who slid it to Phillips who tapped it out to Babos on the edge of the area who hammered the ball into the net for an emphatic finish.
Playing with new belief, against opponents who couldn’t believe it, four minutes later Willo was scythed down with a thigh high tackle on the edge of the box. Babos took the kick from almost the same spot from where he had just scored from open play. The ball was hit hard and true and the deflection off the wall was enough to ensure that the Sports keeper had no chance.
On 85 minutes Willo went off for Rooney and on 92 minutes Gash got a sorry booking for a bit of skullduggery that his Viking forefathers would have got away with.
Peterborough Sports aren’t Posh - but they do play at Pims Park and tonight’s game had elements of that long summertime drink. Some early fizz that then went flat, some unripe strange fruit 🍇 🍈 🍉 at the bottom of the glass midway through the second half as the guests spoiled their own party but then Head Waiter Alex Babos brought back the sparkle when he topped up the lemonade with two goals late on.
Hereford: Pond, Skinner, Hudson, Downing, Babos, Cowley, Williams, Okeke, Southern, Cameron, Phillips. Subs: Ceesay, Rooney, Howkins.