On This Day in 2008

On this very day in 2008, Hereford United picked up their first away win of the season at Colchester.

A look back to Decenber 6th 2008:

Bulls claim priceless away win

Hereford United picked up their first away points of the season with a 2-1 victory over Colchester United at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. First-half goals from Steve Guinan and Lionel Ainsworth meant the visitors were into the break with a comfortable lead; in the second interval, Plymouth loanee Jermaine Easter pulled a goal back but The Bulls held on despite some late-pressure from the U’s.

After twelve days without a match, a number of changes were made to the starting line-up. Recently loan signings Chris Weale and Joshua Gowling were introduced with Matt Murray having left due to injury, and Karl Broadhurst suspended. Lionel Ainsworth recovered from injury to take Simon Johnson’s right-wing berth and up top, Nick Chadwick was replaced by Steve Guinan. Colchester had a wealth of experience in their side with James Walker starting in between the sticks, whilst David Perkins, once of Morecambe, started in central midfield.

On a well-kept pitch at Colchester’s new ground, both sides came out of the traps early and created opportunities. Kris Taylor sliced a half-volley from 20 yards harmlessly wide whilst Mark Yeates twisted and turned on the left-wing before shooting over. Easter picked up on a loose pass to drive towards goal but he couldn’t test Weale, dragging his shot well wide. Ben Smith shot wide after a corner was headed out to him whilst Yeates controlled after Weale had punched the ball out when challenging Clive Platt, but the tricky winger’s lob went over. Yeates continued to be the home side’s main threat, showing fine close-control when up against Taylor and Matty Done; on one occasion, he cut inside both of them before hanging a cross towards the back-post where Platt rose but the former MK Dons man couldn’t hit the target with his header.

Just shy of the thirty minute mark, The Bulls sprang a surprise by taking the lead; their first goal away from home in the league in over 3 months. Ainsworth took a corner from the left and Gowling challenged with a Colchester defender allowing the ball to break nicely for Guinan who smashed in from 12 yards out. Following on from the goal, the game became a little scrappy before Hereford added a second ten minutes after getting the first. This time Toumani Diagouraga won a header in the home side’s half and it broke nicely to Ainsworth, who had used his pace to get behind the back-line before tucking his shot past the despairing Walker. Colchester almost got right back into the game when Yeates placed a shot from 25 yards inches past Weale’s left-hand post whilst moments later Perkins played a one-two with Johnnie Jackson but his left-foot strike failed to trouble Weale. In first-half injury time, Easter sliced an acrobatically effort harmlessly wide after good work from that man Yeates once again.

The home side started the second-half with attacking intent with Yeates again looking threatening; this time on the left-wing he toyed with Richard Jackson before firing a dangerous shot just past the far post. Ainsworth sliced a volley over the bar after Taylor had broken forward on the over-lap of Done before crossing into the danger area. Pat Baldwin’s back-post header from a Yeates corner was easily held by Weale, before Paul Lambert opted for changes, with surprisingly Yeates and Perkins making way for Anthony Wordsworth and Kemal Izzet. Hereford should have put the game out of sight mid-way through the second-half, Ainsworth crossed and Guinan battled leaving the ball to break to Smith who picked up six yards out and one on one, but he shot straight at Walker. It was a golden opportunity for Smith and he really should have taken it. Instead, Colchester got back into the game with Easter grabbing their goal.

Before this, Platt had controlled, fending of Gowling in the process, before turning to shoot goal wards but Weale was equal to it. The Bristol City loanee could do little about Easter’s strike though; Marc Tierney had smashed a strike harmlessly towards goal which Platt managed to control, setting up Easter in the process who drilled home first-time from 20 yards. Platt went close after beating two challenges to meet a corner but his header dropped wide of the near post. Hereford were defending well and playing on the counter-attack with Ainsworth looking threatening; he picked the ball up just inside the home team’s half before a direct run towards goal saw him beat too allowing him to toe-poke goal wards but a slight deflection of the defender took it out for a corner.

A deep cross from right-back Baldwin found left-back Tierney in the box but his unchallenged head was too far out to truly test Weale. With Hereford’s wingers tiring after running themselves into the ground, Sam Gwynne and Johnson were bought on with both Ainsworth and Done receiving good ovations from the away support. The U’s best two opportunities to equalise fell within a minute of each other, firstly sub Wordsworth turned Taylor before shooting goal wards left-footed forcing Weale into a diving parry to push the ball behind. From the corner that followed, Baldwin rose highest to head goal wards but he was denied by R. Jackson on the post. Lambert bought on a striker in Scott Vernon for defender Paul Reid late on with the experienced front man holding up for Tierney to strike wide in what was the last notable action of the game. The Bulls saw the match out in the added four minutes and sent the travelling army home truly pleased for the first time this season.

It was a massive match for Hereford and to gain the three points is a massive boost to Turner and co. Loan signings Weale and Gowling settled in well to the team with the former looking assured in goal. In the middle of the park, Smith had an excellent game, leading by example once again; what he may not have in fitness, he makes up in terms of hard-work. Next up for Hereford is the visit of Hartlepool to Edgar Street next Saturday; The Bulls need to build on today’s win by following it up with another three points.

Hereford: Weale, Jackson, Gowling, Beckwith, Taylor, Ainsworth, Diagouraga, Smith, Done, Guinan, Williams.

Subs: Samson, Rose, Gwynne, Johnson, Chadwick.

Colchester: Walker, Baldwin, Coyne, Reid, Tierney, Yeates, Perkins, Hammond, Jackson, Platt, Easter.

Subs: Gerken, White, Izzet, Wordsworth, Vernon.

The Relief was there for all to see - Turner

Graham Turner was no doubt very pleased with this afternoons win at Colchester after what must have been a difficult week for the club. But in his post-match interview with Keith Hall for BBC Hereford and Worcester he thought that at times the team still looked short of confidence.

"We should have kept the ball better second half and relieved a little bit of pressure. We knew that at 2-0 up they were going to throw everything at us.

"They've got some big lads in their team and we had to withstand a bit of pressure. But I just feel we should have done better when we got the ball or on the breaks.

"We did have a couple of very good opportunities to have made it 3-0 or 3-1 and that would have killed it off totally.

"It's done us the world of good to come to a place like this against a decent side to come out with three points. It's got to have given the players a lot of confidence."

Talking about wingers Lionel Ainsworth and Matty Done, Turner said that they both had pace and ability and can get better.

"The message to them is if they are one on one with the full-backs they have got to take them on. I think once or twice they didn't do what I was looking for. But generally they worked very hard and were absolutely shattered in the last twenty minutes or so. They've worked hard and contributed a lot.

"Obviously Lionel has got his goal, but Matt Done as well. It does give us an extra dimension.

"We're not the biggest and strongest side and we've come up against some very powerful lads when we've had to defend in our penalty area and I think we've coped generally quite well."

Talking about chances created Turner continued:

"Well we got the ball in the box and one fell nicely for Steve Guinan and one fell nicely for Lionel but we missed one or two opportunities, probably easier opportunities than we scored from.

"The whole exercise has been very encouraging. I think we've been playing reasonably well without getting the results but I would have liked to have seen us control it a little bit more as the second half wore on."

The joy on the players faces was there for all to see after the final whistle.

"When you go as long as we've done away from home without getting a win, I think the players have felt such a relief with it - they've obviously felt under pressure and the relief is there for all to see."