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On this very day in 2003 Hereford United took the short trip up the A49 to the Gay Meadow.
Hereford missed out on the services of the suspended Michael Rose, so Dean Craven continued at left-back, and Jamie Pitman slotted back into midfield. Ex-Shrewsbury skipper Andy Tretton was again absent with his long-term injury. Shrewsbury boss Jimmy Quinn was without top scorer Luke Rodgers, but included new loan signing Graham Potter from Boston United in his squad.
The home side dominated the first half, and Kevin Street and Duane Darby both forced their way into the United box and looking likely to score before the deadlock was broken on thirteen minutes. The Bulls had grounds for a penalty after twelve minutes, but this was dismissed by the referee, and so Shrewsbury took control. A cracking twenty-five yard scorcher from Martin O'Connor opened the scoring; a deflection helped it on its way past Matt Baker.
United created very little. With eight minutes of the half left, Colin Cramb doubled the advantage after Ryan Lowe flicked on a long throw, and the ex-Doncaster Rovers striker hammered the ball into the top corner.
It could have been 3-0 by half time, had Duane Darby reacted better to a Paul Parry clearance, and Tamika Mkandawire blocked a fierce strike from Jamie Tolley.
After the restart, it was more of the same, although Danny Williams did force two good saves out of Scott Howie, both from long-range, to ease the pressure. Ryan Lowe, though, found Kevin Street at the back post on fifty five minutes and the ex-Bristol Rovers midfielder tapped the ball into the net to extend Shrewsbury's advantage further.
Darby was then denied by the foot of Dean Craven when a goal looked likely, and a Matt Baker save from a long-range Lowe effort revealed his alertness. The follow-up, by Colin Cramb, was quickly removed by Tamika Mkandawire.
With ten minutes left, a Luke Rodgers cross allowed Darby to run onto the ball and he slotted it home for Shrewsbury's fourth. United, though, found on and looked for a goal. They injected new life through David Brown and Daniel Carey-Bertram in the second period and got a consolation two minutes from time. Jamie Pitman picked up the ball twenty five yards out, hooked it over the mass in the area, and Tamika Mkandawire broke free to make it 4-1.
| Shrewsbury Town | Hereford United |
| Scott Howie | Matt Baker |
| Darren Moss | Ryan Green |
| Dave Ridler | Dean Craven |
| Darren Tinson | Jamie Pitman |
| Graham Porter | Tamika Mkandawire |
| Ryan Lowe | Tony James (captain) |
| Martin O'Connor (off, 67 minutes) | Danny Williams |
| Jamie Tolley | Ben Smith (off, 73 minutes) |
| Kevin Street | Rob Purdie (off, half time) |
| Colin Cramb | Steve Guinan |
| Duane Darby | Paul Parry |
| Subs | Subs |
| Jake Sedgemore | Ben Scott |
| Jimmy Quinn | David Brown (on, 73 minutes) |
| Luke Rodgers (on, 67 minutes) | Richard Teesdale |
| Ian Dunbavin | Danny Carey-Bertram (on, half time) |
| Ian Fitzpatrick | Jordan King |
| Yellow cards | Yellow cards |
| Dave Ridler (foul, 15 minutes) | - |
| Darren Moss (unsporting behaviour, 84 minutes) | - |
| Duane Darby (unsporting behaviour, 88 minutes) | - |
| Red cards | Red cards |
| - | - |
| Scorers | Scorers |
| Martin O'Connor (13 minutes) | Tamika Mkandawire (88 minutes) |
| Coln Cramb (37 minutes) | - |
| Kevin Street (55 minutes) | - |
| Duane Darby (80 minutes) | - |
| - | - |
| Man of the Match | Not awarded |
| Attendance | 6585 |
| Referee | Mr. R. Pollock (Liverpool) |
Shrewsbury played well
Graham
Turner could have little complaint about the scoreline but he was
critical of the referee's decision not to award the Bulls a penalty near
the start of the game.
"Shrewsbury played well and probably outbattled us. They were more
determined than us," said Turner, talking to BBC Radio Shropshire. "I
thought cast-iron penalty at no goals for us. I think the difficulty for
the referee was that he would have had to send the lad off but he
didn't give it and Shrewsbury went down the other end with a wicked
deflection for the first goal.
"Sometimes decisions like that do change games and I felt that was
the case. That's not being wise after a 4-1 defeat. I don't complain
too much about referees but that decision I could not understand.
"That knocked us down a notch or two. After that I have to say that
Shrewsbury looked a good side and caused us problems. We were
out-muscled and out-fought", he said.
"I thought we started to pass the ball well just before Shrewsbury
scored and got into some good areas but the goal gave them a lift at
home and the crowd got behind them. And then they got another one fairly
quickly and if you can't play well when you're 2-0 up then there is
something wrong.
"They will be in contention at the end of the season. It's been an
embarrassing scoreline. I feel for our supporters. We brought up a
terrific following here," Turner remarked.
We will have to perform on Tuesday
It
isn't a case a doom and gloom, but the Bulls will have to perform on
Tuesday against Halifax, said Richard O'Kelly after the defeat this
afternoon.
"It will knock us back if we do not get a favourable result," O'Kelly told BBC Hereford & Worcester.
Defending the Bulls against criticism that other clubs have sussed
out Hereford tactics, he said: "If you move the ball around you will
create chances, but today we had opportunities to pull the trigger at
times or deliver a cross in there or to get a body in there. We did not
do it."
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury manager Jimmy Quinn thought that the Shrews
deserved to win the game. But he did think that Hereford "will be there
or there abouts (the top of the league) at the end of the season."
He said: "Hereford are a decent side but it's our best performance this season."
The crowd at the Gay Meadow of 6,585 was the highest this season in the Conference with about 2000 from Hereford in attendance.