Up and running

It’ll hopefully be two on the bounce for the Bulls as they look to secure a second win in four days at home to Radcliffe on Tuesday evening.

If you feel some wet stuff coming down from the sky don’t be alarmed, it’s called ‘rain’ and it’s completely harmless. Yes folks, the forecast suggests that during the game we may get some respite at last from the drought. Ben Bowen will be pleased.

The Bulls will be looking to lay down some further foundations to support the idea that Edgar Street can be something of a fortress this season, a place that visiting sides are genuinely intimated by, in many cases after an intimidating 250-mile coach journey to get there before any of the actual sporting intimidation even begins.

With a sub-2000 attendance now a real rarity for a Tuesday evening game at Edgar Street, there should be good enough numbers in to generate a bit of that intimidatory atmosphere.

What was so, so, so refreshing about Saturday was that the side’s only thought having edged ahead was to double their 1-0 lead rather than sit on it. The latter approach has of course mostly ended in misery when attempted by previous managers, and that positivity on Saturday looks to be suggestive of a far more dynamic approach under the Downes-Pell regime.

I was thinking on Saturday that for the second season running the club seems to have got itself a loanee from Notts County who isn’t starting XI-ready, even when half of many people’s idea of the starting XI are missing. Harrison Iwunze then came on and scored within ten minutes of his introduction to the game.

Perhaps he will now be deemed to be starting XI-ready.

A clean sheet against Marine and Kaptain Kam Kandola judged as MOTM playing a little higher up the pitch, but ready to drop back when the missing midfielders return, may suggest that last year’s defensive frailties have been addressed to an extent at least. Sides should have to work much harder to score against Hereford this time around.

One of many positives to come out of the Marine game was that no fresh injuries seem to have been reported afterwards. Hopefully that tide of bad luck has now turned. If back-to-back wins can be achieved whilst not at full strength, that bodes very well for when the longer-term injured players come back.

With everyone playing a full part in an encouraging performance on Saturday, Aaron Downes may be tempted not to make any changes, but that goal from Iwunze should get him a start, which could involve a formation tweak, with Cawley Cox playing off the Notts County youngster. That does seem to be a role that may suit CC more.

The visitors come down to Edgar Street pointless this season following an opening day defeat at home to newcomers Spalding, and on Saturday a narrow 2-1 loss at Macclesfield, with the hosts pinching a late winner. Macc had goalie Christian Dibble to thank for those three points, without whom they would have lost, so this side are dangerous despite the start they’ve made, no doubt about it.

Manager Bernard Morley, now operating without his erstwhile partner Anthony Johnson, suggested after that game that centre backs Michael Nottingham and Tom Davies, forced off injured, may be missing for this. He also described them as ‘two of the best centre backs in the division’, so that would be quite a loss. Their names are added to an already considerable injury list at the club – similarities with Hereford there.

We may see Harry Redknapp appearing for the visitors. No, not that one – ‘that one’ is this one’s grandad. Son of Jamie is a 6’ 4” centre back. For younger readers, Harry Redknapp (the older one) was a winger for West Ham when wingers for West Ham came from east London rather than Leominster, and Jamie Redknapp, Harry snr’s son, used to swan about in midfield for a Liverpool side that wasn’t very good. For older readers, you didn’t need that explanation, apologies.

Two others to watch out for are wide man Michael Afuye and striker Rio Clegg. Clegg scored 26 goals last season, including one against Hereford, and could have got a hat-trick against Macclesfield on Saturday if it wasn’t for the form of Dibble. Luckily we have our own Dibble in the more palatable form of Theo Richardson.

Can this season’s Bulls cope with and counter the Radcliffe threat with lovely, silky, easy-on-the-eye total football and further offer the suggestion that 2026/27 could actually occasionally be fun rather than torture? Is it even legal to be that optimistic on the evidence of beating Marine 1-0?

We’ll be given more of a clue on Tuesday. You wouldn’t want to miss it. Or the rain.

COYW