Bounce back at Bedford?

Hereford FC unusually travel east rather than north for an away game this weekend, as they look to build on a fabulous start to their National League North campaign.

The Eyrie, Bedford is the destination, and the Bulls will be keen to move on from last weekend’s FA Cup exit at Stafford, and prove that the 6-0 against South Shields is what the side is all about, not the 3-2 last Saturday. If Aaron Downes’ ability to pick the side back up following defeat matches whatever he did after the opening day Buxton loss, everyone’s going to be in a happy place after this, and indeed after the next eight games or so too.

It’s a bit of a funny old business that Hereford, Oxford and Bedford, three of last season’s strugglers, are in the top eight, with the Bulls and Oxford first and second. The only ‘ford’ in the division to miss out on a good start are injury-ravaged Telford. Fate perhaps taking revenge on their star centre forward Matty Stenson for being a ‘Meadow End celebrator’ last season. If Macclesfield’s ghastly captain gets struck by lightning sometime soon, you’ll know there’s something in that ‘Meadow End celebrator’ theory.

Last season Hereford travelled to Bedford having just beaten Merthyr and Marine, and in so doing had given themselves a shot at survival. A 2-2 draw that day ensured that nerves remained frayed from then until some minutes after the final whistle of the final game at Edgar Street.

On Saturday those nerves should be considerably less jangly. Hereford come into the game in free-scoring form, and with a solidity at the back that was nowhere to be seen last season, notwithstanding the three goals leaked to Stafford in the Cup. Very good sides have gone out of the Cup at the first hurdle so many times before, and then gone on to thrive in the league, arguably as a result.

The hosts are in good form, and come into this having dumped Paul Caddis and Kings Lynn out of the Cup last weekend.

George Moncur, son of ex-West Ham playmaker John Moncur, plays a similar role for Bedford as his dad did in making them tick from midfield, and has also chipped in so far this season with more-or-less a goal every other game. At 33 he’s no spring chicken though.

So far, Hereford have kept dangermen such as Glen Taylor and Paul Blackett quiet, and they’ll be hoping to do the same with Moncur, who will be policed by Kam Kandola. If that policing leads to an early yellow card (and let’s face it that’s not out of the question), Preston Bitemo can take over the policing in the second half (when, let’s face it, another yellow card wouldn’t be out of the question).

However, it’s to be hoped that Moncur will be far too busy helping his defenders out to need much policing at the other end of the pitch. Bedford will have to contend with attacking threats aplenty in the form of the Hereford front four, with Luke Spokes both feeding that front four and offering considerable threat in his own right. It would be surprising if the manager doesn’t opt for Iwunze and Cox up front from the start, an attacking tactical move befitting a side at the top of the table.

Ex-Bull Eno Nto will provide pace out wide for the Eagles, although his end product in terms of quality crosses never seemed to be quite there during his stop-start time at Edgar Street. He’ll be keen to prove otherwise and he’s started the season well – maybe he’s resolved his fitness issues.

Bedford will have done their homework and figured out that you could lose 6-0 to this Bulls side if you attempt to out-football them, but equally you could win 3-2 if you go long and hope. That would be simplistic. Hereford have admirably repelled the direct route in winning league games prior to the South Shields thrashing. If Bedford put all their eggs in that basket they’ll regret it. It’s tempting to think that the Merrett-Howkins centre-back partnership will relish mopping up that one-dimensional approach in what has so far been such a promising season, after it caused so much havoc so often in the Hereford defence in what was such a dismal season last time.

Joseph James, who has rapidly become a crucial cog in the Hereford wheel, picked up a knock last Saturday, but will hopefully be fit and firing here.

Hereford welcome Notts County midfielder Kameron Muir to the squad for this one, and if he’s anything like as effective as club-mate Harrison Iwunze promotion should be sewn up by Christmas.  

These sides played out two 2-2 draws last season, and another here would see the Bulls almost certainly remain top of the table, unless Oxford go nuts with the goals at home to Morecambe. That seems unlikely, with a mole suggesting that Oxford aren’t much good, despite their lofty league position.

But where’s the fun in drawing? A win would mean 25 points from the opening ten games - some start.

COYW