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Hot on the heels of the encouraging win against Worksop on Saturday, Hereford FC are required to try again to get this FA Cup tie against Sporting Khalsa put to bed, following the alleged racist incident that caused the first attempt to be abandoned. It also caused a lot of heartbreak, hassle and potential reputational damage that a lot of people in and around the club have worked hard to repair since. The red cards and feelings of togetherness before kick-off on Saturday are what it means to be Hereford, united.
On a brighter note, there’s the huge carrot of a juicy away tie at Hemel Hempstead to incentivise a win here. Carrots rarely come bigger this side of genetic modification. I assume the gasps of eager anticipation could be heard across Herefordshire and Willenhall when the ball everyone was waiting for came out of the feted FA Cup velvet bag, a sacred sack brought to you by Emirates. Thanks Emirates, we’d be lost without you.
Paul Caddis just needs to write ‘Hemel Hempstead’ on the dressing room wall before this – that should be enough of an incentive for the players to go all dreamy-eyed and to get through to a career-defining date with destiny in Hertfordshire.
Talking of sponsorship, there was big news over the weekend with Dyno-Rod, ‘the UK’s leading plumbing and drainage service provider’, announced as the official plumbing and drainage partner of the National League. If that wasn’t the news you’ve been praying to hear since goodness knows when I don’t know what’s wrong with you.
The message Paul Caddis put out to ‘be kind’ after the first shelved attempt to play this game was pitch perfect; his utterances often are. Why would you choose to be hateful when you can choose to be kind? The Kidderminster goalie for instance makes me very cross indeed, but I don’t hate him. When we play them I pledge right now to find it in my heart to find a way to love him when he takes three minutes to catch the ball, fall over incrementally and lie down for a bit, get back up geriatrically and then find it within himself to kick the ball back into play just before the referee gets round to giving him a yellow card. The knowing smirk as he does so twists the knife of anger and frustration even deeper. However, we’ve all got to do our bit to be more compassionate, and that pledge is my contribution.
Er, anyway, this game…
Sporting travelled to Mossley on Saturday in the Northern Premier (West) Division (two rungs below Hereford) and got thumped 4-0. It wouldn’t be too surprising if they were somewhat distracted for that one and entirely focused on Tuesday evening though, given what happened last time. If ex-Bull Chay Tilt looked to be playing with something to prove in the first game, his ten team-mates will be equally motivated here.
Hereford go into the game looking a little light in the middle of the pitch, in fact lighter than a hungry jockey, with fitness issues for Lawson Dath, Matt Richards, Preston Bitemo and long-term absentee Gus Mafuta, who is still some way short of being match-ready. Sam Osborne looks to be a certain starter therefore, with Aaron Skinner again presumably moonlighting in midfield.
Despite the added motivation the hosts will inevitably bring to the party here, the visitors go into this one as long odds-on favourites as their season starts to show signs of taking shape after a shaky start. But if you thought the first month or so was tough, take a look at October. It’s plain nasty, so this recent improvement and a return to fitness of Madou Cisse and Gus Mafuta are very much needed.
Be kind, always.