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A full set of fixtures this afternoon:
AFC Telford United v Hednesford Town
Buxton v Hebburn Town
Chester v Spalding United
Chorley v Scarborough Athletic
Harborough Town v Darlington
King's Lynn Town v Marine
Macclesfield v Brackley Town
Radcliffe v Morecambe
South Shields v Merthyr Town
Southport v Bedford Town
Spennymoor Town v Oxford City
Worksop Town v Hereford
A look back to this weekend in 2004.
Hereford United were away at York City In The Conference League.
United cruise to victory
Hereford United kept their unbeaten start to the season intact with a 3-0 victory over York City at Bootham Cresent this afternoon. The result sees Hereford jump two places up the table into second position. Dagenham & Redbridge lead the table and are the only team with a 100% record.
Graham Turner named the same squad to the one that claimed a point in midweek at Crawley Town. The Bulls took the lead thirteen minutes into the game, although York City had started the brighter and were unlucky not to score in the fifth minute. Paul Robinson powered a header goalwards from sixteen yards but Johnathan Gould dived to his left and tipped the ball over. Danny Williams scored with what was Hereford's first notable attempt on goal. Adam Stansfield skinned the left back and cut the ball back to Williams, who was on hand to power into the top corner from little more than six yards.
Craig Stanley went close from twenty five yards minutes later and was again involved in a nice move with Stansfield that resulted in a late sliding challenge by player-manager Chris Brass who was punished with a booking. The resulting free kick was taken by Williams who crossed for David Brown, who headed United's second on the half hour mark. Stansfield had a glorious chance to make it three before half time after 'keeper Paul Crichton spilt a long range effort from Mark Robinson. However, Stansfield volleyed over from inside the six yard box. Stansfield then turned provider for Brown, but this time his shot was deflected for a corner two minutes before half time.
United started the second half much brighter than they did the first. Simon Travis played Stansfield in on goal but as the goalkeeper rushed out the ex-Yeovil attacker chipped inches wide. On fourty nine minutes Brown grabbed his second and Hereford's third. Crichton, in goal for York, rushed out of his box to clear but took a touch on his chest and was unaware of Brown approaching from behind. Brown stuck a foot in, disposessed the goalie and chipped into an open net.
Stansfield then forced a corner with a powerful effort from a tight angle after fifty minutes. United's then chances came in numbers, Tamika Mkandawire had a header saved from a Williams corner before Brown and Stansfield had a chance for a fourth.
As the half wore on, the Bulls started to take their foot off the gas. Graham Hyde and Lee Mills were introduced for the impressive Williams and man of the match Brown. The two subs combined to see Mills head just wide from a Hyde corner. The Minstermen rarely threatened Gould's goal as when they had chances they were off target. Andy Bishop had the best opportunity when the ball fell to him in a one on one position with United's 'keeper, but he dragged his shot inches wide.
Hereford's overall performance was brilliant and York will have to improve significantly if they want to push for a play off position. United should have scored more than they did; the finishing let them down on occasions. The total of twenty four goal attempts for the Bulls reflects this. However, neither Graham Turner nor the 459 Hereford fans in a crowd of 2602 will not be dissapointed with an away victory of 3-0.
HUFC Team: Gould, Travis, Tretton, James, Mkandawire, Robinson, Williams, Pitman, Stanley, Stansfield, Brown. Subs: Smith, Scott, Purdie, Hyde, Mills.
Travis salutes the fans
The 459 Hereford fans gave the lads such a lift said Simon Travis after today's win at York.
Interviewed by Terry Goodwin for BBC Hereford and Worcester, Travis
said;" It's a twelfth man for us. It's a long way to travel. They're
dedicated and we appreciate it more than they will ever know."
Travis, in particular, noticed some of the songs that the Hereford
supporters came up with this afternoon. One about York had him visible
smiling and acknowledging the fans.
Talking about the game Travis said that after the Bulls had
weathered the storm of the first five or ten minutes they got into the
game.He then spoke about the first goal.
"The ball went wide and it was cut back in and Danny (Williams) had a
good first-time finish into the far corner. A very good goal."
He also recalled the third goal.
"I think the keeper just got the ball tangled at his feet. Brown did
ever so well to track back and win the ball off him and produced a
great chip into an empty net. It was a very good finish."
Meanwhile Chris Brass, the York player/manager, praised Hereford performance this afternoon.
"You have to give Hereford a hell of a lot of credit. They're a very
good side. I'm sure they will continue to cause problems this year,"
Brass told BBC Radio York.
"They are going to be there or thereabouts, as will Aldershot, at the end of the season.
"Graham has brought in one or two welcome additions but you can see
that the nucleus of the side has played together for a while.
"You have to match them in the work rate and commitment, but today Hereford bettered us.
"Two of their goals came from our mistakes and the third (the middle
one) from my free-kick. All of their goals could have been stopped."
Highlights from Tuesday's nights game between Hereford and Radcliffe are now available to watch.
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| Hereford Celebrate A Goal At Worksop Last Season |
A look forward to tomorrow's fixtures in the National North written by NL's Tom Scott.
With some surprising - and some not so surprising - results a few days ago, what will happen on matchday four?
Chester are the division's early pace-setters with one of only two perfect records in the division still standing.
The Seals host Spalding United while the other 100-percenters South Shields - fresh from their midweek win at fancied Morecambe - host Merthyr Town.
Newcomers Hebburn Town sit just behind the top two after a fine win over then-unbeaten Worksop Town in midweek.
The Hornets head to Buxton while Worksop host Hereford who have claimed back-to-back wins since their opening day defeat.
At the other end, Morecambe are in dire need of a win to get their season going and head to winless Radcliffe who parted with Bernard Morley this week.
Marine are the only other side without a point - the Mariners are the only side in the division also yet to score ahead of their trip to King's Lynn Town.
Hednesford Town have led their last two games going into the final knockings but somehow came away without a win in either.
Kelvin Davis' side make the trip to another winless outfit - AFC Telford United.
Harborough boss Mitch Austin has liked what he's seen so far from his side's first foray into National League North football.
Darlington are next in town, a side whose only points so far this campaign have come on the road.
Oxford City take their unbeaten record on the road to Spennymoor Town while Bedford Town head to Southport after a fine midweek win at home.
Elsewhere, Scarborough Athletic currently have the best goals-for column in the division - they head to Chorley who bagged their first win on Tuesday at Marine.
Macclesfield had a stalemate in midweek at Spalding and will look to continue their promising start with the visit of Brackley Town.
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Hereford FC are back in action on Saturday following an entertaining win on Tuesday night against Radcliffe. The first half of that game wasn’t far off as complete a performance as you could wish for, apart from maybe the clinical finishing to enable the scoreboard to reflect the approach play and general dominance.
The fact that it was a performance achieved without Joe Willis, Lewis Hudson and Fin Holmes suggests that the squad will have sufficient strength in depth to capably face the rigours of winter, a cold, wet Tuesday night somewhere on the doorstep of the Arctic Circle, and the ups and downs of a full season in the National League North in general.
This side looks like it will at least win more than it will lose. That said, Marine and Radcliffe aren’t South Shields or Chester, and the Bulls will soon face the latter without Kam Kandola. That will be a true test, both for the side as a whole and for Preston Bitemo as Kandola’s understudy.
But first it’s Worksop, and the second plastic pitch of the season.
They narrowly won their opening two games 2-1, including an impressive victory at Darlington, but came unstuck last time, losing 1-0 at newcomers Hebburn.
Two big threats are midfielder Alecs Starcenko and striker Kian Harratt.
Latvian Starcenko is part of the furniture at the KC Sofas Stadium having been there for six seasons. He’ll be instrumental in much of their play, and is one for Kandola to keep an eye on as the latter plays his final game before a suspension-induced early-season break.
Harratt arrived in the summer from Oldham and looks to be a very impressive signing. He’s played in the Championship for Huddersfield under Neil Warnock, scoring against Middlesbrough and QPR, and also played in the EFL for Port Vale, Fleetwood and Oldham. He’s still only 24, has scored two already this season, and is a clear danger. That said, he’s taken a lot more minutes to score his two than Harrison Iwunze has to score his. The Notts County youngster’s blistering pace and physical presence, alongside his finishing, constitute a real threat from the Bulls up front.
Harratt’s fellow striker and new signing Ryan Viggars will be suspended for this following a sending off – we’re not alone!
Another new signing, Andrew Boyce, has been made club captain, and at 36 has a wealth of experience, winning promotion from the NLN with Scunthorpe in 2025. Hopefully, at 36, he’ll also find the flicks, tricks and rapid movement of the Hereford front five horrible to cope with.
The Tigers had a perceived weakness last season against long throws, and Boyce will presumably have been brought in to address that, as he’ll have cleared more long throws in his long career than most people have had hot dinners.
They themselves have a long throw expert in Deegan Atherton, so an aerial threat could be the order of the day.
The Bulls picked up all six points In the two games these sides contested last season, Worksop’s first in the NLN. The Tigers didn’t find life easy at step 2 last season but achieved their primary aim of avoiding relegation and finished five points clear of Hereford. They look stronger this time.
In terms of the visitors, there’s been some talk this season about whether one or two strikers should be played. Given that the midfielders keep getting sent off, and given how effective Harrison Iwunze and Danny Waldren were when they came on against Radcliffe, maybe the talk should be about playing three strikers rather than one, and keep the midfielders to the bare minimum as they’re clearly not to be trusted to stay on the pitch.
One midfielder who has managed to stay on the pitch so far has been Luke Spokes, who has a languid fluidity you don’t see too much at this level. His effortless ability to ghost past players suggests that his first goal of the season is imminent, as, hopefully, is Cawley Cox’s.
Of the other new arrivals, the busy-but-channelled energy of Billy Phillips and the composure of Will Merrett seem set to contribute considerably to a transformation of the ‘product’ on offer at Edgar Street this season.
No injuries or red cards would be good here, and a win could see the Bulls top the table.
COYW
YouTube: https://youtu.be/mgpchPpx9wo
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4gy1kY0xIBjdi26J7R8OQ4
The Bulls News Prediction League table has been updated after Tuesday's 3-0 win over Radcliffe at Edgar Street.
Only five people saw the 3-0 win coming, so congratulations to Team Topaz, Jamer99, Beware of the bulls, Bmth Bull, and You Better BULLieve it, who all get a maximum 10 points.
In total, 99 of our 104 competitors entered, with 83 going for a win, 11 for a draw and five for a loss.
The updated table can be found here.
Next up is Worksop away on Saturday.
Be sure to email your username and prediction to bnpredictions@outlook.com by 2pm on Saturday, including if you want to enter for the first time.
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| Andy Williams Was On Target At Worksop Last Season |
Despite winning their last two games the bookmakers are offering 11/5 for Hereford to make it three wins on the bounce at Worksop tomorrow.
Currently Hereford are 7th in the National North with six points from three games, Worksop are 8th also with six points from three games.
Last Tuesday Hereford defeated Radcliffe (24th) 3-0 despite going down to ten men in the second half.
Worksop lost 1-0 at third placed Hebburn.
Worksop 6/5 Draw 5/2 Hereford 11/5
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| Andy Williams Scored For Hereford At Worksop Last Season |
Supporters will be segregated at Worksop on Saturday when Hereford are the visitors.
Home and away supporters will have separate entrances and designated areas inside the ground. Please allow extra time to enter the stadium and follow the guidance of the stewards.
Admission:
Adults £18
Concessions £13
Child 11 to 16 £7
Junior £Free
Please note no parking at the stadium
Sat Nav S80 1UJ
The home of Worksop Town FC is known as The KC Sofas Stadium in recognition of the company's generous sponsorship.
With a capacity of around 2,000 and plenty of covered seating in two stands and covered standing areas, together with a comfortable bar, and TWO snack cabins, visitors are well catered for.
Access via road is easy, either from the M1 or A1 but there is no adjacent fan parking at the ground at all. There is no disabled parking at the ground but if possible, our stewards will facilitate a person being dropped off for the driver to find space elsewhere.
Travel by train is easy too. Worksop station is a reasonably level, 10 minute walk away.
DOGS ARE NOT GENERALLY ALLOWED IN THE STADIUM.
NO SMOKING OR VAPING IS ALLOWED ANYWHERE IN THE STADIUM.
NO CHEWING GUM IS ALLOWED TO BE CONSUMED OR BROUGHT INTO THE STADIUM.
ENTERING THE FIELD OF PLAY OR SETTING OFF PYROTECHNICS, FIREWORKS OR SMOKE BOMBS WILL RESULT IN A LIFETIME STADIUM BAN AND POLICE ACTION
Hereford manager Aaron Downes has said that the club will not appeal against the red card shown to Kam Kandola in the game against Radcliffe last Tuesday evening.
The decision almost certainly means Kandola will miss three games. Usually a red card doesn't take effect for a week after the sending off so hopefully he will be available for Saturday's game at Worksop.
"Kam's is a foul," Downes told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
"But it's not a red card, nowhere near a red card.
"But the way they work these things means it's almost impossible to get off them unless it's mistaken identity or there is clearly no touch of any ball.
"It's almost pointless appealing.
"We support the player, I've had a good conversation, but what we've got to be careful of is if we appeal every single red card given, we might end up being called frivilous.
"In this situation, support our player, trust him, he's been great for us.
"He will be a big miss that's for sure but it is impossible they will turn that over.
"We won't appeal that."
Midfielder Jordan James has joined Wolves on loan from French club Rennes.
The season long loan deal is reported to include an option to buy.
James, son of former Hereford United defender Tony James, started his career with Birmingham City before being sold to Rennes for £4M.
Last season he was loaned out to Leicester City and scored 11 goals.
James has been capped 26 times for Wales.
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| Billy Phillips Scored Hereford's Third Goal |
This slightly edited review from NL's Sam Elliott.
Ma'kel Campbell made sure Chester stay top of the Enterprise National League North win a win at Darlington.
Hereford striker Harrison Iwunze scored his second goal in two games last night.
And, similar to last Saturday, he celebrated in style.
After a very enjoyable 90 minutes at Edgar Street last night, the Hereford squad, staff and supporters celebrated victory against Radcliffe.
