.png)
Hereford FC hit the road again this weekend as they travel high up into the Peak District to face Buxton.
On face value a trip to the Peaks in daylight in mid-October looks a good deal more palatable than doing it in late November at night, which is what the fixture computer initially quite unreasonably requested. That’s the sort of sadism that makes you want to fiddle with its hard drive when it’s not looking.
A thoroughly creditable 0-0 draw at Alfreton last weekend, with stalemates seemingly becoming a Bulls speciality, means that after ten games 15 points have been snaffled, which represents an OK start. It also means that our heroes remain unbeaten this season in the league apart from that unexpected 1-0 reverse at home against Needham Market, which we’ll pretend doesn’t really count. Only Chorley, Scunthorpe and Alfreton can boast a similarly impressive ‘tough to beat’ record, and what’s now needed is the happy knack of remaining tough to beat whilst turning 0-0s into gritty 1-0 and 2-0 wins, particularly at home. It would help if the marginal offside decisions started going the other way.
Last Saturday Buxton lost at home to high-flying Curzon (The Nash host Hereford next weekend in what looks like being a tasty encounter). Prior to that loss, the Bucks had been strong at home in the way that clubs with plastic pitches often tend to be. Four wins in six home games so far this season is still a good record.
With seven of last weekend’s 12 National League North matches ending in draws, early indications suggest that the division will once more be made up of 20 clubs who are much of a muchness, with one or two being hopeless and another one or two being able to consistently win. Scunthorpe’s whizzy start to the season is grinding to a halt, and with Hereford just six points off the top the opportunity’s there for the Bulls to put a run together (featuring wins among the draws) to become one of those few clubs capable of getting to the top and staying there. It’s there for the taking.
One concern is that Radcliffe are showing signs of being one of the few to be genuinely hopeless, which does make that 3-3 Edgar Street draw with them earlier in the season look like a big two points dropped.
It was all change for the hosts over the summer, with a new manager, a new team, and a new full-time status. That last bit could be described as ‘brave’ on home crowds of about 700, or ‘barking mad’ might be another way to look at it, but this is football after all, where barking mad is very much the norm.
John McGrath moved up a level to take over from experienced Craig Elliott as boss, and so far has that home record to be grateful for in terms of job security, as they’ve lost all three of their away games.
Midfielder Connor Kirby has survived the player overhaul and is generally considered to be a key player for them, pulling the strings in midfield.
There have been too many new signings to mention in full here, but one is Josh Popoola, who has performed well in the National League North before when briefly on loan at Spennymoor and Chorley. Predictably enough he’s started the season well, with three goals so far.
Their main goal threat in recent seasons has been Diego de Girolamo, who is still at the club but couldn’t get into the squad at the start of the season. With the Bucks having lost five of their last six league games, and scored just 11 in their last nine games, he’s now back and looks like a probable starter here.
Interestingly, despite the financial backing that’s subsidising their full-time status, they still seem unable to resist the grasping talons of moneybags Matlock, who recently pinched defender Josh Granite from them.
As for the visitors, a shyness in front of goal is becoming more of an acute social anxiety in front of goal. It’s remarkable to note that the Bulls haven’t scored in the league since August, drawing a blank in their last four games. To still be in touch with the early pacemakers given a recent record like that just goes to show how open the division is, yet again.
Last season, Hereford returned from the lofty heights of the Silverlands Stadium empty handed, a Jason Cowley penalty not enough as Buxton profited from a Curtis Pond spill and a soft set-piece goal.
In terms of injuries, and indeed in terms of getting back to scoring a goal or two, it was encouraging to see Alex Babos back on the bench last weekend. With another week of recovery under his belt, or more specifically in his wrist, he could start here, and his attacking creativity has been missed.
With both of these sides struggling to find the net lately, this could be another tight one, but what are the chances of Hereford drawing another blank? Slim, surely?
COYW