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Hereford FC v Solihull Moors in a pre-season friendly.
Hereford welcomed higher graded opposition in the form of Enterprise National League side Solihull Moors to the MandM Edgar Street Stadium for their fourth pre-season friendly and second at home after claiming their first win on home soil 3-1 on Tuesday night against Worcester City. This would be a step up in opposition for the Bulls with the Moors finishing with 14th last season in the Enterprise National League and some former Bulls loanee's in their ranks with winger Kian Ryley having a month with Hereford in 2023 and forward Callum McFarlane spending time with the Bulls last season.
New signing in the shape of local lad Jordan Williamson who had featured as a trialist against former club Hereford Pegasus, Bishops Cleeve and Worcester City and announced pre-match new loan signing from Fleetwood Town Liam Roberts both started. Also announced in the week U18’s players’ player of the year last season Jack Tolley featured on the bench as did a selection of the U18's as in the previous friendlies.
The Bulls kicked off kicking from the Meadow End towards the Blackfriars End.
Hereford started well with new loanee Liam Roberts doing well on the left-flank nicking the ball off Matty Carson before delivering a cross into the box but Solihull in the end managed to clear.
The first corner came the way of Hereford on 12 minutes, from the left Billy Phillips delivered towards the back post almost onto the head of Kyle Howkins but the ball was taken off his head for another corner by Moors goalkeeper Nathaniel Ford.
Liam Roberts then played a good ball back to Billy Phillips on the edge of the box but he snatched at the effort and dragged his first-time shot wide.
The first chance for the visitors came from a corner on the right played short with a one-two between Matty Carson and Scott High, before Carson saw his strike go high over the bar failing to trouble Richardson.
With half an hour gone new signing Jordan Williamson did well winning a free-kick for the Bulls on the right side of the box, Keziah Martin's drive towards the top-right corner stinging the palms of Nathaniel Ford who tipped the ball around the post for a corner.
Hereford had pressed the Moors well not allowing them to get into a rhythm meaning with 40 minutes gone they hadn't had any meaningful chances which is how it stayed until the half-time break meaning it was a stalemate.
Half-time: Hereford FC 0-0 Solihull Moors
The Bulls made two changes at half-time with Jack Tolley and Harry Jones coming on for Keziah Martin and Danny Waldron.
A good ball through to Harry Jones was intercepted by Alex Whitmore before the ball was loose with Matty Carson going in for a hard challenge on Jordan Williamson right on the edge of the box on the right which resulted in a free-kick for the Bulls and a yellow card for the Solihull Moors full-back, from the set-piece Liam Roberts’ left foot curler was comfortably into the arms of Nathaniel Ford.
With their first opportunity Solihull opened the scoring on 56 minutes when Junior Tiensia was through on the left channel before beating Kyle Howkins and drilling the ball high into the centre of the net.
Shortly afterwards there was a raft of changes for Hereford with Ollie Lewis, Josh Lloyd, Josh Mills, Ollie Bradley, Owen Bradford, Riley Bevan, Jude Gaudin, Kayode Sahabi and Harley Jones Williams all coming on.
Solihull’s Junior Tiensia swung a ball into the box from the left which skimmed off the head of Moors summer signing from Brackley Town Ben Wodskou and went harmlessly wide.
Following the Bulls changes Solihull had started to have more possession before Ben Wodskou showed good feet inside the box but somehow rifled his left foot strike high over the bar from 5-yards out.
Introduced as a second-half substitute former Bulls loanee Kian Ryley found space inside the box but his low strike from an acute angle on the left was brilliantly saved by the legs of Ollie Lewis before Josh Mills unfortunately picked up an knock and had to be replaced by Davyd Antoniuk.
The visitors’ Cameron Green tried his luck from the edge of the box but it easy pickings for Ollie Lewis and fell straight into his arms.
Riley Bevan threaded a neat ball through to Jude Gaudin inside the box before his shot was blocked by Tyler French with the rebound coming back to Jack Tolley but his strike was also well blocked by Alex Whitmore.
A loose ball by Solihull midway inside their own half allowed Jude Gaudin to intercept before getting a good right footed strike away which needed a strong right hand from Nathaniel Ford.
Corner for the visitors on the right by Matty Carson found Luca Hancock who's diving header was brilliantly saved by Ollie Lewis before from the resulting corner from the opposite side Solihull doubled their lead, former Bulls loanee Callum McFarlane delivered to the edge of the box where he found another in the shape of Kian Ryley who drilled the ball into the bottom-left corner to get a goal on his return.
Hereford we're unlucky to quickly concede a third shortly afterwards with a cross from the right by Ben Wodskou finding Kian Ryley who headed into the left side of the net to grab his second of the afternoon.
The Bulls not deterred went straight back on the attack looking to respond almost getting a goal back after a loose ball at the back from Matty Carson went straight to Harley Jones Williams but the striker could only lift the ball over the bar before the final opportunity of the game going to the Moors with Callum McFarlane finding space inside the box before his low effort being superbly tipped around the post for a corner by Ollie Lewis.
Overall the three-nil scoreline flattered the visitors with the U18’s doing well when they came on in the second-half despite the scoreline.
Full-time: Hereford FC 0-3 Solihull Moors
Hereford FC Starting XI:- 1 Theo Richardson, 3 Lewis Hudson ©️, 7 Keziah Martin, 9 Cawley Cox, 10 Danny Waldron, 15 Jordan Williamson, 16 Liam Roberts, 17 Joseph James, 20 Preston Bitemo, 23 Billy Phillips, 28 Kyle Howkins.
Substitutes:- 14 Luke Spokes, 21 Ollie Lewis, 24 Jack Tolley, Harry Jones, Ollie Bradley, Josh Lloyd, Owen Bradford, Kayode Sahabi, Davyd Antoniuk, Harley Jones Williams, Riley Bevan, Josh Mills, Owen Bradford, Jude Gaudin.
Yet again a good workout in the fourth pre-season friendly of the campaign against a higher graded Moors side. In the first 45 we we're by far the better side but couldn't find a way through with Solihull failing to have a opportunity before a tough second-half but the U18’s who came on all gave a good account of themselves. After the game it was great for fans to have the opportunity to meet the players and management in the Fan Zone outside of Radford's Bar.
Onto the penultimate friendly and final one at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium when the Bulls again host higher graded opposition in the A49 derby against Sky Bet League 2 side Shrewsbury Town. COYW
Words: Sam Cummins