Nigel Preece watched Hereford take all three points from Oxford yesterday.A must win this one and the hopeful Bulls travelled from far and wide for this grim oop north fixture. Oxford being, surely, the least northern of grim oop north away venues ever!?
A fairly civilised start for me, leaving home just after 0830, and, yes, for those of you who read the recent Talking Bull, I did cross the road to my local station not at the zebra. For those who didn't read it (why not?), it's one of my small and utterly pointless superstitions. Train from Cardiff to London was rammed, as was the connecting train from Didcot to Oxford, I was expecting good away support but not this many.
Of course, Oxford has a surfeit of attractions and to add to them there seemed to be some sort of music and dance festival going on. I made it to the Royal Blenheim pub by 1130, it was quiet bar four young London Bulls. Their number was soon added to by another 10 or so from the capital plus a few more from round the country but our presence was swamped by a sudden influx of folk music types, they even started singing, proper finger in the ear stuff; a suggestion of Me And You And a Dog Named Boo may have been taken up for all I know, but I'd escaped by then to get some food in the covered market and another beer in the White Rabbit (more visiting Bulls in this one).
On to the Lamb and Flag to reconvene with the London Bulls before a taxi out to the ground.
Contrary to the tone of the pre match warnings entry was relaxed. What was less relaxing was the queue for the executive facilities, 4 portaloos for us gents, 2 for the ladies, frankly not good enough. No steward there either to prevent gents using the ladies either.
The odd ticketing arrangement of three separate standing areas was, as suspected, all one area. And was there anyone checking you had a ticket to the stand? I wandered over to speak to someone without being stopped.
The artificial pitch looked better than some of the others we've suffered, I'd still prefer proper grass, though to be fair it played ok.
In warm, sunny, T shirt and shorts conditions, the teams changed ends with us kicking towards our large contingent of support.
We lined up as expected; Richardson, Coates, Hudson, Preston, Howkins, D’Ath, T Campbell, Sterling-James (in the 10 role), R Campbell, White and Ceesay.
A poor start, D’Ath booked in the first minute, Oxford were passing the ball better than us and we were under fairly constant pressure for the first 15 mins. It was no real surprise when a home attacker was found in space perhaps 8 yards out and the shot went in off the post.
If we were downhearted, on and off the pitch, it didn't show. The support got behind the team and the response was almost immediate. Sterling-James found space and drove straight down the middle, he perhaps should have passed out right to White in space but looked left. The pass was half blocked but the ball fell invitingly into the path of Yusifu Ceesay who didn't have to break his stride and finished with ease. A bit of a fortunate break but if you're positive etc ….
From then on we started to press and win the ball higher up the pitch, our passing began to be more cohesive and opportunities were created. We had several half chances before the break, Remaye Campbell’s shot well saved the closest we came to another goal.
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| A Hereford Free Kick Nearly Went In The Goal |
During an injury break I took the opportunity to dash to one of the portaloos, dread to think what the queue was like at half time, especially with beer being sold throughout the game (not that I bought any or the decent looking pasties).
No changes after the break, other than Kyle Howkins adding to his already extensive bandage collection with one round his head (clash of heads towards the end of the first 45). We continued on top, Tate Campbell smashing a shot against the post a few minutes in. White had a shot saved but eventually our pressure told. Sterling-James hit a decent shot from 25 yards, it swerved in the air, the keeper made a bit of a hash of his save and Remaye Campbell followed up like a good striker should for a tap in.
Remaye Campbell Watches As Morgan Sterling-James Steers The Ball Towards Goal 
And Campbell Scores - Sorry No Picture Of The Goal
If I thought we might rein in our approach now our noses were in front I was thankfully wrong. It was good to see us working so hard and pressing for a third. Oxford were on the ropes, several of their players were booked in a short space of time as the home team somehow rode the storm.
The extra goal that would have made for a more relaxed last 10 never quite happened but, though it may not have felt like it on the terrace at the time, we saw out the remainder of the game pretty comfortably. At various points Sturridge, Babos and Willo came on for White, Sterling-James and Remaye Campbell. Howkins was rather harshly booked and Richardson cleared out Preston as well as the ball in making one no nonsense clearance.
After 5 minutes additional time the final whistle led to a very boisterous outpouring of relief on the away terrace. A great result with a better team performance than previous weeks with, by and large, a more thoughtful and footballing approach. I don't like picking out one player after a fine collective effort but plaudits to Lawson D’Ath; after his early yellow card he must have been thinking about what happened last Saturday and his swift withdrawal from the Chester game. However, he, as much as anyone, dragged us back into the game and gave a solid display of winning and intelligent use of the ball all afternoon.
If I was reluctant to pick out a player, I have no such qualms about praising our travelling support. Around a thousand noisy Bulls in attendance gave positive support throughout. The latest popular terrace ditty, Putting on a Show, may be aimed at the action on the pitch but could certainly be sung as another instance of top quality off field backing.
Another taxi whisked three of us back into the city centre for a post match catch up with very happy London Bulls and others in the Grapes. Odds are we'll be back visiting this northern football outpost at some point next season but, for now, let us dream a little about putting on a show in a fully National League in a mere 4 months time.
Roll on Friday.