From The Archives - Hooper Returns To Edgar Street

Gary Hooper

For today's archive article BN goes back to September 20th 2008 and the return of striker Gary Hooper to Edgar Street.

Hooper's winner sinks Bulls

Gary Hooper starred on his return to Edgar Street as Scunthorpe United won 2-1. Bulls' debutant Nick Chadwick had sent Hereford into lead a half-time lead after striking from the spot, but a quick-fire double by Sam Togwell and Hooper ensured The Iron went home with the points in front of 3004 supporters.

There were three changes to Hereford's starting line-up, with captain Karl Broadhurst starting his first-league game of the season in place of Richard Rose. Matty Done and Chadwick were also introduced into the eleven, with Andy Williams and Steve Guinan unavailable due to injury. For the visitors, highly-rated England youth international Krystian Pearce was partnered in defence by former Swansea man Izzy Iriekpen.

The first-half was dominated by The Iron, with Cliff Byrne coming close to opening the scoring when he headed over after an Iriekpen flick from a corner. A mis-placed back-pass by Dean Beckwith allowed Hooper into the box, but the former Grays man failed to score in front of the Meadow End, with Darren Randolph saving Hooper's low shot with his leg. United took the lead with their only chance of the first-half after good link-up down the left-hand side. Kris Taylor's chipped pass was chased down by Done, who beat Iriekpen to the ball and was subsequently tripped. The referee had no hesistation in pointing to the spot, and Chadwick took advantage of this, blasting down the middle to make it 1-0. The visitors tried their best to get on level terms before the half-time whistle, with Hayes free-header missing the target, and another effort by the former Barnsley man, after a nice touch-down by Hooper, failing to trouble Randolph. In added-time, Hayes neat pass to Hooper allowed the striker to round Randolph, and his cut-back to Matthew Sparrow only needed a touch to equalise, one that it didn't get.

The second-half started in similar fashion to the first, with Scunthorpe creating chances in front of goal. Again, the Hooper/Hayes partnership was causing problems, with the latter curling wide after being set up by the former. The Iron then turned the game around with some fine football. Firstly, a fantastic flowing move, started by Hooper, was finished by Togwell's burst in the box and sublime finish past Randolph. Five minutes later, a Hereford corner was defended, and Scunthorpe went on the counter-attack. Hayes looped a pass over the Hereford defence, and Hooper raced onto it, and continued into the box, where he steadied himself before striking across Randolph to make it 2-1 in front of the away supporters.

Former Morecambe winger Gary Thompson came on for Hayes, before United finally created a chance in open play. Done's floated cross was headed just over by Ben Smith, who had made a good run into the danger area. At the other end, Thompson placed shot with his left-foot was harmless, whilst Hooper collected Martyn Woolford's knock-down, before gliding past two and hammering a shot just past the post. Graham Turner opted to change to 4-4-2, with Stephen O'Leary making way for Simon Johnson. The change pushed United, as they pressed on for an equaliser.

Bradley Hudson-Odoi's low cross wasn't dealt with, and it fell nicely to Johnson, who smashed against the post; the rebound fell nicely to 'keeper Joe Murphy. Pinball in the box after a Done corner finally saw the ball break to Toumani Diagouraga, but the French midfield maestro could only head over from close-range, although he was under pressure from several defenders. Ian Morris took to the field, with Grant McCann making way before Thompson shot into the side-netting from inside the box for the visitors. A long Randolph goal-kick was flicked on by Chadwick into the path of Johnson whos' attempted cut-back was deflected goalwards forcing Murphy into a save at his near-post. Smith sent a half-volley weakly into the body of Murphy, before Done's late left-foot strike from an acute angle was well-saved by Murphy.

Hereford sit two points from safety after today's match, but there were still positives to take from it. The change to 4-4-2 in the second half bought a fine response from the players who rallied well, with the Chadwick and Johnson partnership up top looking promising. Both players complimented each other well, with Chadwick unable to make an impact up front on his own in the first-half. As for Scunthorpe, Hooper was their star man, showing superb touch, awareness and strength, coupled with his goal. If only things were different... Next up for The Bulls is a tough trip to Elland Road, to face high-flying Leeds United. A repeat of last-season will do very nicely.

Hereford: Randolph, Jackson, Broadhurst, Beckwith, Taylor, Diagouraga, Smith, O'Leary, Hudson-Odoi, Done, Chadwick.

Subs: Samson, Rose, MacLeod, Easton, Johnson.

Scunthorpe: Murphy, Byrne, Iriekpen, Pearce, Williams, Sparrow, McCann, Togwell, Woolford, Hayes, Hooper.

Subs: Lillis, Mirfin, Hurst, Thompson, Morris.

Stats from Scunthorpe Game

Whilst the stats showed that Scunthorpe had more possession than Hereford United - 53% against 47% - there's little doubt that the Bulls will feel they did enough to earn a point from this entertaining encounter especially as they hit the post in the dying stage of the game.

However Scunthorpe had 12 shots on target whereas the Bulls had nine.

Corners were 8 for the Iron and 9 for the Bulls and fouls 14 against Hereford and 12 against Scunthorpe.

Young referee Gavin Ward and his assistants controlled the game well although some may have thought he could have given Iron captain Issy Iriekpen a red card, as opposed to a yellow, when he brought down Hereford's man of the match Matt Dome in the box.

Dome received an eight for his hard graft. The only other player to be awarded an eight was Scunthorpe's Gary Hooper.

Keeper Randolph, defenders Broadhurst and Beckwith and midfielder Smith all received a seven.

The gate was 3004 with 294 in the away end.

Heavy Price for Concentration Lapses

In his post match press conference Graham Turner once again had to admit that Hereford United had not defended as well as they can.

"A lot of effort, some quite good play at times, some good positions and one or two good opportunities and we find ourselves on the end of another defeat.

"But I got to give credit we paid a very heavy price for a few lapses of concentration. Got away with one or two but the first goal should never have happened after the warnings before the game and halftime.

"The one pleasing thing was that we had a real go in the last twenty minutes and might well have got something out of the game.

"What we have got to do is maintain the belief that we can compete at this level. I think we are getting better. We have to keep the belief."