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Hereford FC make the long trip to Darlington on Saturday, weather permitting, looking to consolidate their position in the National League North play-off places. The club’s sole focus is now the league after early exits from both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy, but they are excellently positioned to have a good crack at competing towards the top of the table for the rest of the season.
Darlington had a season to forget last time, with Josh Gowling almost taking them down, before his replacement Steve Watson steadied the ship to the extent that they finished six points clear of the drop. Watson would have hoped to carry that form into the new season, but they’ve been hindered by the sort of inconsistency that dogs virtually every NLN club.
They’re currently in 14th place, five points behind Hereford but also only five points clear of the relegation places. They’ve found themselves in that no-man’s land courtesy of being notably inconsistent even by the standards of the NLN, a division generally defined by its inconsistency. At home, they’ve beaten Chester but also lost to Gainsborough Trinity in the Cup. They don’t often achieve the same result two games running, and given that they beat Buxton last time in the Trophy there’s therefore no chance at all that they can win this.
Their annual squad builder is becoming the stuff of legend, such is the amount of money it raises each year. The £162k raised last pre-season for their relegation push was smashed in the summer, with £190k donated by fans to the cause.
Courtesy of that largesse, versatile and influential ex-Kidderminster player Joe Leesley arrived at the club in the summer and looked a good signing, but he’s just been shipped out to Worksop on loan, so it seems it didn’t work out well after all. Forward Jack Maskell, only 19 but full of potential having scored 26 in 36 appearances lower down in his fledgling career so far, was another summer recruit. He’s grabbed a couple of goals this season. Midfielder Will Hatfield has never really been prolific anywhere in his career, but also has two goals so far. The main threat though, quite literally, may be Surinamese centre forward Cedric Main. The ex-York man made his Quakers debut against Hereford in January in a 2-0 win. He’s gone on to average a goal every three games for the club, and that’s a better return than he’s managed anywhere previously, so he may have found his spiritual home.
That Darlo victory was the third they’ve enjoyed in a row at home to Hereford, which merely offers more rock-solid evidence that they can’t win this, because what are the chances of four in a row?
They’re undoubtedly strong at home, having only lost one in eight at Blackwell Meadows, but Hereford are of course strong away, having lost only two in nine.
There seem to have been several elephants in the HFC room lately, but rather than the usual ‘lack of discipline’, ‘home performances’ and ‘quality of refereeing’ elephants, the elephant most pertinent to this game is the weather. It’s going to be P-Ping it down all over the country and all over the fixture list this weekend, so there’s a chance that this will be the Bulls’ second consecutive postponement. An overnight temperature in the northeast of -4 ahead of the game won’t help. Hopefully, given the length of the journey, the hosts will be able to make a prompt decision either way early on Saturday morning.
Alex Babos served his one-match suspension last Saturday so should be available here. Kyle Howkins got a well-deserved rest having enjoyed a really solid season so far, but should be back in defence. Lawson Dath could be back in midfield having kept Big Kyle company on the bench on Saturday and, like Big Kyle, has been playing well of late.
New signing Jaiden White, cup-tied for the Trophy game, should play some part here, possibly up top with Jason Cowley, who was another rested player against Brentwood as he eases his way back to full fitness. Step 2 may have come too soon for White when a teenager at Kidderminster, and Bulls fans will be hoping he’s now ready at the grand old age of 22. Exciting and intriguing signing.
Tate Campbell will miss three games following this one, meaning he’ll be back for the trip to Scunthorpe on 21 December as things stand, following his straight red card on Saturday. He’ll be available here though, I think.
With a lack of zip seemingly an issue of late, the return to the starting line-up of the ever-zippy Yusifu Ceesay coupled with Jaiden White being keen to make an impact on debut should ensure that energy levels are high. Presumably the post-match ‘discussion’ last weekend is still fresh enough in the players’ minds to ensure that the whole team are up for this, and in fairness that’s generally been the case away from Edgar Street this season.
If it does go ahead, yet another joyous away day looks eminently possible.
COYW