Relying on results elsewhere

With perhaps grim inevitability following those seven consecutive losses, it’s come down to the dreaded ‘relying on results elsewhere’ stage. Supporters received yet another absolute kick in the teeth on Tuesday, as Hereford surrendered the right to control their own destiny and this rotten season continued to put everyone through utter agony.

The loss to Oxford leaves the relegation equation as something that wouldn’t unduly trouble Einstein: the Bulls need to win their last three games and hope. It’s far from being a lost cause given the difficult run-ins of others, but there’s no evidence to suggest that anyone can be confident in the ability of the Bulls to win those three utterly winnable games. A point from Bedford and Oxford, sides who have been struggling all season, doesn’t bode well, and is the sort of form that’s been typical of this season and that’s left Hereford on the very cusp of relegation.

They host Radcliffe on Saturday, and couldn’t wish for a better opportunity to record the first of those three wins, given that the visitors seemingly called time on their season some weeks ago. It’s just that so many excellent opportunities have been squandered already, and it’s reached the point where you just wonder why this one should be any different in delivering some happiness and hope rather than despondency.

Radcliffe finished just one place above relegation last time in their first season at this level (oh how desirable that place in the league feels right now), but they’ve kicked on from there whilst Hereford have fallen to bits, and were strong play-off contenders up until recently. That ‘until recently’ could be vital though. Their recent form is what gives Hereford a huge chance here should they have the ability and energy to exploit it.

The Mancunians have lost eight of their last ten games, and have conceded 15 goals in their last four. That form has coincided with Bernard Morley ending his 17-year managerial partnership with Anthony Johnson and moving to Bury, his boyhood club.

If the Bulls can’t take advantage of that sort of record when they absolutely have to win and Radcliffe have absolutely nothing to play for, one of the better-supported sides in non-league football almost certainly deserves to drop to the third level of the non-league game, and have a thoroughly good look at itself in the process.

In terms of the Radcliffe squad, they recruited very smartly over the summer in a way that Hereford didn’t, although it has reportedly left them very much in the red. 35-year-old playmaker Dan Gardner joined from Oldham, adding experience to a squad featuring others who already know the division well, such as Jordan Hulme and Anthony Dudley. Hulme oozed National League North know-how against Hereford last season, and the Bulls defenders will hopefully be wise to it this time. Talented winger Michael Afuye came in from Curzon, and they brought in left back Callum McFadzean, who has a wealth of Football League experience.

Their big threat though is Rio Clegg, with 24 league goals to his name. He’s picked up one red card this season. Is it too much to hope that he’ll pick up another in the first minute here?

Talking of which, Harrison Sohna is available for this but not for the game against Marine on Tuesday. Whether he’ll start however is a different matter. Lawson Dath when he came on against Oxford looked to be in good nick and very much up for the fight. He and the quite excellent Freddy Willcox should start in the middle.

Other battlers such as Aaron Skinner will be invaluable now, as long as they manage not to get sent off. Matt Preston has looked very much up for the fight recently, and he should be back for this one. And there’s never any questioning the commitment of captain Lewis Hudson, or indeed the youngsters up front.

A nutty 3-3 draw very much flattered the hosts when the sides met at Edgar Street last season. This will have to be a far more disciplined performance at the back.

One positive to take into the game is that an Oxford win on Tuesday looked very unlikely before the sending off. A repeat of that first-half performance across the 90 minutes should comfortably be enough here, and a win coupled with a loss for Bedford (who travel to South Shields) would reduce the gap between the two to three points, a gap that would then reduce to no points if Hereford win Tuesday’s game in hand. If, if, if.

This will be the first proper nervy one-eye-on-the-match, one-eye-on-the-phone game as supporters keep tabs on Kings Lynn, Curzon Ashton, Alfreton and Bedford. Oxford perhaps at a push. Hopefully it won’t be the only such game, in that survival could still be possible going into next Saturday’s finale against Peterborough. In between, Hereford can pick up bonus points at home to Marine when no other bottom six side is playing, in a way they haven’t in almost all of the mountain of games in hand they had a few short weeks ago. What a waste.

COYW