Hereford and Chester have been rivals for sometime. No more so than in the 2003/04 season.
And in that season both sides were going for promotion.
Right at the end the teams met at Edgar Street in front of 7240 supporters.
A look back to April 24th 2004.
Champions
beaten at Edgar Street
Hereford
United 2 - 1 Chester City
Hereford United
defeated Chester City in the Blues' final Conference game at
Edgar Street this afternoon. The Champions didn't manage a single
shot on target as Hereford won 2-1, equaling the Conference goal
scoring record of 103.
The Bulls made two changes from the team that beat Leigh RMI, Steve Guinan who has a neck strain wasn't risked and so Danny Carey-Bertram was handed a rare start. Michael Rose also replaced Simon Travis to face his old team.
It took Hereford twenty minutes to break the deadlock. Tony James controlled the ball in his own half and then hammered a pass forward to David Brown. The ball dropped between two centre backs and Brown ran onto the pass and lifted it over the 'keeper Ian Turner into the far corner.
Chester didn't threaten the Hereford goal often, they managed only two efforts in the first half, both were from outside of the box and went wide. Hereford, however, looked sharp upfront and should have led by more than one goal at the break. Rose, who looked desperate to score, had a free kick from twenty-five yards slam against the post before being hacked clear; Tom Smith almost bundled in a Rose cross from the left; and late on in the half Brown had a golden opportunity to double United's advantage. James' clearence was neatly knocked out wide by Jamie Pitman and Rob Purdie managed to skin a defender before pulling the ball back to Brown, who blazed over the bar from close range.
Chester attacked The Whites from the restart and found themselves level within two minutes of half time. A first corner was cleared out for another corner by James, but the second corner hit James on the head and flew past Matt Baker to give City an equaliser.
United came back strongly, and Brown had a good chance from close range. Neat work down the right wing resulted in Green finding Carey-Bertram who poked the ball to Brown, but he was closed down quickly as Hereford hoped to regain their lead instantly. Carey-Bertram, who caused the defenders of Chester plenty of problems, rattled the side netting after running onto a high ball into the Hereford attack.
The introduction of Mark Beesley, Danny Williams and Bertrand Cozic livened Hereford up, and the fresh legs of Beesley were just what United needed. Within two minutes of his substitution for Brown, who was booked, Beesley forced sub-goalkeeper Andy Woods into a wonderful save, tipping Beesley's thirty yard effort over the bar. From the resulting corner, swung in by Rose, the ex-Chester favourite forced 'keeper Woods into another brilliant save as his powerful drive was blocked by the goalie.
It was the dangerous Beesley who scored Hereford's winner, finally. The ball was played to his feet from Purdie, and he created space and blasted a shot towards goal. The ball hit former Hereford defender Chris Lane, and was diverted into the far corner, wrong footing Woods in goal. Beesley almost got another when Rose hit a deep corner to Beesley, who volleyed against the outside of the post.
Chester created one of their only opportunities in injury time when substitute Darren Stamp looped a header just over the bar. In the final minute Williams found Green with a through ball who, when one-on-one, lobbed the 'keeper but the ball fell just wide of the post and denied Hereford the goalscoring record.
In an entertaining game in front of the biggest attendance of the Conference season, 7,240, United set themselves up perfectly for Thursday nights away leg of the play-offs, which sees them face Aldershot Town, who could only manage a home draw with Tamworth today.
The Bulls made two changes from the team that beat Leigh RMI, Steve Guinan who has a neck strain wasn't risked and so Danny Carey-Bertram was handed a rare start. Michael Rose also replaced Simon Travis to face his old team.
It took Hereford twenty minutes to break the deadlock. Tony James controlled the ball in his own half and then hammered a pass forward to David Brown. The ball dropped between two centre backs and Brown ran onto the pass and lifted it over the 'keeper Ian Turner into the far corner.
Chester didn't threaten the Hereford goal often, they managed only two efforts in the first half, both were from outside of the box and went wide. Hereford, however, looked sharp upfront and should have led by more than one goal at the break. Rose, who looked desperate to score, had a free kick from twenty-five yards slam against the post before being hacked clear; Tom Smith almost bundled in a Rose cross from the left; and late on in the half Brown had a golden opportunity to double United's advantage. James' clearence was neatly knocked out wide by Jamie Pitman and Rob Purdie managed to skin a defender before pulling the ball back to Brown, who blazed over the bar from close range.
Chester attacked The Whites from the restart and found themselves level within two minutes of half time. A first corner was cleared out for another corner by James, but the second corner hit James on the head and flew past Matt Baker to give City an equaliser.
United came back strongly, and Brown had a good chance from close range. Neat work down the right wing resulted in Green finding Carey-Bertram who poked the ball to Brown, but he was closed down quickly as Hereford hoped to regain their lead instantly. Carey-Bertram, who caused the defenders of Chester plenty of problems, rattled the side netting after running onto a high ball into the Hereford attack.
The introduction of Mark Beesley, Danny Williams and Bertrand Cozic livened Hereford up, and the fresh legs of Beesley were just what United needed. Within two minutes of his substitution for Brown, who was booked, Beesley forced sub-goalkeeper Andy Woods into a wonderful save, tipping Beesley's thirty yard effort over the bar. From the resulting corner, swung in by Rose, the ex-Chester favourite forced 'keeper Woods into another brilliant save as his powerful drive was blocked by the goalie.
It was the dangerous Beesley who scored Hereford's winner, finally. The ball was played to his feet from Purdie, and he created space and blasted a shot towards goal. The ball hit former Hereford defender Chris Lane, and was diverted into the far corner, wrong footing Woods in goal. Beesley almost got another when Rose hit a deep corner to Beesley, who volleyed against the outside of the post.
Chester created one of their only opportunities in injury time when substitute Darren Stamp looped a header just over the bar. In the final minute Williams found Green with a through ball who, when one-on-one, lobbed the 'keeper but the ball fell just wide of the post and denied Hereford the goalscoring record.
In an entertaining game in front of the biggest attendance of the Conference season, 7,240, United set themselves up perfectly for Thursday nights away leg of the play-offs, which sees them face Aldershot Town, who could only manage a home draw with Tamworth today.
Written by Brian
Goodwin - 24th April 2004
| Hereford United | Chester City |
| Matt Baker | Ian Turner (off, 49 minutes) |
| Ryan Green | Chris Lane |
| Michael Rose | Jamie Heard |
| Jamie Pitman | Andy Harris |
| Andy Tretton | Phill Boland |
| Tony James (captain) | Scott Guyett |
| Tom Smith | Lee Elam |
| Robert Betts (off, 69 minutes) | Ben Davies |
| Danny Carey-Bertram (off, 83 minutes) | Sean Carey (off, 14 minutes) |
| David Brown (off, 60 minutes) | Michael Twiss |
| Rob Purdie | Kevin Rapley (off, 80 minutes) |
| Subs | Subs |
| Bertrand Cozic (on, 83 minutes) | Darryl Clare |
| Chris MacKenzie | Andy Woods (on, 49 minutes) |
| Andy Wells | Darren Stamp (on, 80 minutes) |
| Danny Williams (on, 69 minutes) | Ian Foster (on, 14 minutes) |
| Mark Beesley (on, 60 minutes) | - |
| Yellow cards | Yellow cards |
| David Brown (unsporting behaviour, 59 minutes) | Scott Guyett (unsporting behaviour, 17 minutes) |
| - | Jamie Heard (unsporting behaviour, 27 minutes) |
| - | Michael Twiss (unsporting behaviour, 39 minutes) |
| - | Ian Foster (dissent, 74 minutes) |
| - | Andy Harris (unsporting behaviour, 90) |
| Red cards | Red cards |
| - | |
| Scorers | Scorers |
| David Brown (20 minutes) | Tony James (own goal, 47 minutes) |
| Mark Beesley (70 minutes) | - |
| - | - |
| Man of the Match | Michael Rose |
| Attendance | 7,240 |
| Referee | Mr. K. Stroud (Dorset) |
