Back to lucky Lancashire

It’s straight back to Lancashire then for Hereford FC following their wonderful return to winning ways at Chorley on Saturday. They’re unbeaten in the county so far this season having also won at Southport, which is of course Lancashire in old money, and would love to make it a hat-trick here. Lancs is certainly a luckier county than Herefordshire for the Bulls at the moment.

Following recent relegations (three in four seasons) Morecambe currently seem to be a bit all over the place, dipping in and out of transfer embargos and generally looking like they’re operating beyond the means of their owners, in that depressing way of so many football clubs throughout the land.

The Shrimps, back when they were run efficiently as a top non-league entity, always provided entertaining opposition for Hereford United when HUFC went down to the Conference, and it’s nice to have them back on the fixture list again, though no longer at Christie Park. They now play at the Halo Aerospace Stadium. I don’t know why I’ve made that seem like news – they haven’t played at Christie Park for 16 years.

They were relegated to this level last season and finished bottom of League 2 the season before that. They had been going well, winning seven of their last ten before Saturday, when they had what looked like a tough game on paper away at Hednesford. They then very much proved on plastic how tough it was by getting beaten 6-2. As ever after such a thumping, we could see a strong reaction or, hopefully, an early Bulls goal causing Morecambe heads to drop earlier than they might otherwise have if they hadn’t shipped six in the last game.

That result could well be a reflection of the current financial uncertainty at the club.

Having said all that, they are really good at home. They’ve won five of seven home games, and conceded just three goals in those seven games. Astonishing frugality.

Adam Lakeland is their manager and knows the division inside out after spells at Curzon Ashton and King’s Lynn. His 500^th game as a manager was that 6-2 loss – not how he would have wanted to celebrate that milestone.

He spoke after that game about the difficulty of separating the playing side from the off-field issues, something he conceded was affecting the players.

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts will be a familiar name to many Bulls fans. The ex-Macclesfield right-winger isn’t a particularly prolific goalscorer but he’s often influential.

They’ve got National League experience throughout the side, and young central midfielder Ruben Curley, on loan from Stoke, looks a decent player.

In terms of the visitors, Aaron Downes has some decisions to make. Does Cawley Cox start after his two goals on Saturday? Did he benefit from the Chorley defenders being totally puffed out after trying to keep Harrison Iwunze quiet? If so, is it worth repeating that approach?

Aaron Skinner was missing injured on Saturday, but could be on the bench here, ditto Billy Phillips. Will Merrett is back after suspension. It will be very interesting to see how the manager plays it in terms of the shape of the defence and midfield and the players used in that shape, given the options he now has.

Lewis Hudson showed incredible commitment, and certainly proved his fitness,  in getting through 90 minutes on Saturday after missing the whole season to date. Now he just needs to hit the goalscoring form he found towards the end of last season. A big boost to have him back.

Hereford will go back to the top of the league if they win this, but that Morecambe defence at home won’t make it easy, unless of course the players really are distracted at the moment and playing with one eye on their futures.

You absolutely don’t want to see clubs in trouble of course, but if the above is the case it’s a good time to be playing them.

Finally, if you’ve done Chorley and you’re doing Morecambe…fantastic effort.

COYW