A couple of wins have moved Hereford up to second position in the National North League table.
And those wins have influenced leading bookmakers to drop their prices on Hereford winning the League.
Just a few days ago Hereford were priced at 20/1, today that price has dropped to 12/1.
Scunthorpe remain favourities at 15/8
Kidderminster are 15/2
Chester are 10/1
Alfreton, Chorley and Hereford are 12/1.
Tomorrow evening's match between Hereford and Warrington will be streamed on National League TV.
For more details please go to: https://www.nationalleaguetv.com/
As ever both BBC Hereford and Worcester and Radio Hereford FC will have full live commentary of the game.
Adult Hereford supporters will be charged £13 to watch their club at Warrington tomorrow evening.
Concessions are £9 and Juniors £3.
Tickets can be purchased at: https://warringtontownfc.co.uk/i/tickets/33
Please note there is no car parking at the ground.
Sat Nav: WA4 2RS.
The Bulls News Prediction League table has been updated after Saturday's 2-1 win at Curzon Ashton in the National League North.
With 117 predictions submitted, 56 correctly went for a win. Some 17 went for a loss and 44 for a draw.
Of those 87, 28 went for a 2-1 win so lots of 10 points handed out again - including to Rockabully who is pulling ahead at the top and has broken the 100-point barrier.
See the updated table below, click read more if you cannot see it.
Next up is Warrington away in the National League North on Tuesday.
Be sure to email your username and prediction to bnpredictions@outlook.com by 6.45pm on Tuesday.
It's also not too late to enter for the first time. New entrants are accepted throughout the season.
Peter Gulacsi, the former Liverpool keeper who spent time on loan with Hereford, has been talking about his career in an interview with Score.
Gulacsi worked for five different managers at Liverpool, the first being Rafael Benitez.
'Having the same manager in Rafa, and the same goalkeeping coach with Xavi Valero, for the first three years gave me the chance to develop. I played for the reserves before I was loaned out in my second season to Hereford United and in my third season to Tranmere Rovers. Then the changes happened. It's not easy for an inexperienced, young 'keeper to get a chance and make steps forward when the club is going through difficult times. Managers are always under pressure from the beginning. So, I would say the second part of my Liverpool time was not so easy. But still, I managed to go on loan one more time to Tranmere and then to Hull City. I sat on the bench, I think, over 50 times for the first team but I never played a minute. It was a fantastic experience to work with different managers - really, really good managers - and also with (goalkeeping coach) John Achterberg for three years. The whole six years were a very important experience for me.'
theScore: Hereford, Tranmere, and Hull seem to be unlikely destinations for a future Bundesliga star. What did you learn at those clubs?
'Different things. In Hereford, that was the first time I was a No. 1 after being third choice at Liverpool and playing for the reserves. You realize straight away, it's a whole different level. It's very physical, a lot of action. You're under pressure. It was an important experience. In Tranmere, the situation was really good for me, because I could train with Liverpool and only had to do the prematch training and the games at Tranmere. So, I kind of stayed in a top football environment, but had the chance to play regularly on a very good level.'
Read more at: https://www.thescore.com/epl/news/3100468
Hereford defender Matt Preston is in this week's National North League team of the week.
He scored Hereford's winning goal at Curzon last Saturday.
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Warrington Town are the hosts, and they’ve had a fairly indifferent start to the season, sitting in 18th place just three points above the drop zone. As such, they’re beatable opponents for a Bulls side that’s doing a good impression of meaning business this season.
This is the Yellows’ second season in the NLN since promotion, and they adapted well last time, finishing a place and five points behind Hereford.
On Saturday they found themselves two down in 15 minutes at home against an Oxford City side finding it very difficult to adapt to life in the NLN following relegation last season. 2-0 was how it stayed, and a repeat of that sort of form should mean that the points go to the visitors.
Ex-Bull Mark Beesley resigned as manager last month after eight years in charge. He seemed to be a shrewd cookie in operating effectively with one of the few playing budgets in the division that apparently doesn’t dwarf Hereford’s, and his departure after so long in post seems to have left the club slightly rudderless. Former manager Paul Carden has returned as Beesley’s replacement.
Ollie Southern left Edgar Street in the summer to join his local club, and is the sort of versatile player who is sought after by clubs trying to maximise value for money out of their squad. The 22-year-old hasn’t been playing lately due to injury. If his fitness wasn’t an issue I wonder whether he would still be at Hereford, as I thought he was a good player, whose quality sometimes went under the radar, and he showed an intelligence and ability on the ball that was impressive for someone of such a relatively tender age. Having said that Sammy Robinson, in a similar role and as Southern’s replacement, would be most people’s preference I’m sure, including mine.
Youngsters Josh Miles and Murphy Bennett came into the club from Blackpool and FGR respectively in the summer. Miles’ loan spell ends on Halloween, so this will be his penultimate game with the club. He’s done well with two goals from left wing and will give Sammy Robinson plenty to think about as the ex-Kiddy defender returns following an absence at the weekend due to suspension. Robinson’s return will also give Paul Caddis plenty to think about in terms of who starts and in what formation.
Defender Bennett, just 19, was born local to Warrington in Stockport but has spent his career to date closer to Hereford, with spells at Gloucester and Didcot in addition to FGR.
One of their more threatening players last season, Isaac Buckley Ricketts, left the club in the summer for Curzon Ashton, where he was kept quiet last weekend against the Bulls.
Connor Woods is still there though, and has three goals and two assists to his name so far this season. He’ll be their main goal threat. Fellow striker and club captain Josh Amis’s season only started in October, but has already found the net and like Woods has contributed with a couple of assists.
Influential if ageing central midfielder Jay Harris, like Josh Amis, has only recently found a place in the starting XI. The ex-Tranmere and Wrexham player was missing in this fixture last season, when Hereford came away with the points following a 2-1 win. Big performances from Babos, Ceesay and Teixeira contributed significantly that day, and all three could start again here, although the latter could be rotated out with Lawson D’Ath coming in with fresh legs just a few days after the last game. Those two between them could hit the magical 50 yellow cards for the season, which should warrant some sort of shared trophy.
In a division in which most clubs more or less just take it in turns to take points from one another, form lines aren’t worth a great deal, but Warrington have lost at home to Radcliffe, Needham Market, Farsley and Oxford. That’s form that should give the visitors cause for considerable optimism. For Warrington, it looks dangerously like the form of a relegation contender. I mean, who loses at home to Needham Market?
On Saturday the Bulls yet again won away on the road after a disrupted journey up to Greater Manchester. That victory sees them now sitting in second place in the table, just a point behind Scunthorpe at the top.
Hereford dominated this fixture last season when admittedly the season was petering out. The 2-1 scoreline didn’t reflect that dominance, and if they can take a similar grip on this one they’ll be keen to turn possession and dominance into goals, as goals win games in a way possession and dominance don’t. Anyway, that’s quite enough football cliches.
On Saturday unfortunately it all comes crashing down because it’s finally a dreaded home match…or does it? Be there to find out, on what will be a momentous occasion as it could be the last time the dear old floodlights make a half-hearted attempt to illuminate the pitch.
COYW
Attendance: 8,245
Hereford United: Hughes, Carver, Naylor, McLaughlin, Tucker, Mallender, Evans, Radford, Redrobe, Gregory (Jenkins), Owen.
Wrexham: Lloyd, Jones, Fogg, Davis, Scott, Whittle, Tinnion, Sutton, Ashcroft (Thomas), Smallman, Griffiths.
League Position: 9th (8 games in)
On the Pitch: After opening their Division 3 account with two wins, Hereford found themselves going into the game in 14th place after five games without a win (WWLDDLD). It is worth remembering that 18 months previously, Hereford had been a part time non-league outfit - albeit one that had seen off Newcastle and could regularly pull in 5,000 plus crowds.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Third Division Round Up: Darling of the press Harry Redknapp finds himself in the early season top scorers chart having bagged 4 goals for Bournemouth.
In the Opposition: The presence of Joey Jones and Micky Thomas makes this weeks an easy one. Both, at the time of this match, were promising Wrexham players aged 18 & 19 respectively, yet to embark on pretty impressive careers. Joey Jones was born in Llandudno, and according to LFC History, was a bit of a handful as a young un; finding himself in a group called the Bad Gang Parrots. When I say group, they didn't have guitars - he confessed it was not unknown for him to arrive back at Wrexham on a Monday with a shiner.
Teams Jones would go on to play for included Liverpool and Chelsea, helping the former to win two European Cups. Thomas would play seemingly everywhere, most notably at Man Utd. He did find time in his busy schedule to hook back up with Jones at Chelsea in the mid 80's. All the moving around inevitably took it's toll, resulting in him needing to rest up in the 90's at her majesties pleasure.
Fan of the Week: I don't think you would thank the photographer if you were "on the sick" and were one of the select faces in this line up.
Supporters' Corner: Due to it being an easy-to-digest figure when scanning football results, attendances have been one of the currencies that we are all fluent in. Given that, the HUFC crowds in the 70's take some grappling with. 8,920 being the average in the first three games of this second season in the league.
In the News: The Somerset coalfields which had been mined since the 15th century were last worked on 28th December 1973.
In the Charts: Eye Level by the Simon Park Orchestra was at No.1. I had never heard of it either, but Google it and you will instantly recognise it.
On TV: The New Scooby-Doo Movies are aired for the first time on 28th September 1973. Apparently it involved that natural pairing of Mystery Inc and Batman & Robin.
In the Maternity Ward: Singer and Actor Alfie Boe was born on 29th September 1973.
He's One of Our Own: Murray Fishlock was born 23rd September 1973. He played for Hereford United over 100 times between 1994-98, straddling the Football League/Conference days of the mid to late 90's. After one season in the Conference he went to Yeovil, something that happened rather a lot as HUFC financially imploded, which was also something that happened rather a lot.
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| Last Year At Chester |
Chester City have told Hereford that they can only have 500 tickets when the two clubs meet on Saturday November 2nd.
Tickets will go on sale from 5pm tomorrow through the Chester ticketing site. They will be sold on a first come first served basis.
Standing and seated tickets available.
I’m Russell Quinn (on the left). I was born in Hereford and grew up in the UK, but have lived in California since 2010.
Peter Clayson (on the right) and his wife are currently on holiday from the UK and have been traveling from Seattle through California and down to Los Angeles.
Peter remembered seeing my request on Bulls News for USA-based Hereford fans to get in touch and emailed me to meet up.
We shared a lot of old stories and memories and had a great time.
Thank you to Bulls News for helping to connect us.
A second selection of pictures from yesterday's game at Curzon. These taken by Andy Walkden.
A selection of pictures from yesterday's game between Curzon Ashton and Hereford taken by Andy Walkden.
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| Tate Campbell Scored Hereford's First Goal - Pictures From Andy Walkden |
The Bulls pulled off a second consecutive 2-1 away win at The Nash and now sit at the dizzy heights of second place in the National Legue North table. It was a very competitive, sometimes bad tempered, game. Both teams had passages of play when they put together good passing moves, at other times it degenerated into hoof ball with the big boot much in evidence.
The Bulls lined up with a back four in front of Chapman. Preston was in for the suspended Robinson, loanee Bartley was at right back and looked just as much at home there as he did in the centre of defence against Buxton. Howkins and Hudson completed the four. Campbell and Teixeira were in the holding roles, Babos the attacking midfielder, Ceesay wide left as usual and Williams and Rose up front. Rose operated on the right of attack, which I suspect is not his preferred role but he certainly gave it everything.
Both teams mounted attacks early in the half, and it wasn’t long before we had a goal. The Bulls gave Sinclair far too much room and time to set himself for the shot and he curled a fine strike into the top corner for a 6th minute lead.
Teixeira is a feisty little so-and-so, what he lacks in stature he more than makes up for with attitude. However he was getting involved in all kinds of niggly confrontations which seemed to be distracting him from getting on with the game. He and Campbell were sitting quite deep a lot of the time which seemed to concede the midfield to the home time too often.
The Bulls stuck to the task though, and in the 43rd minute a corner was cleared as far as Campbell whose shot from outside the area took a big deflection on its way into the bottom corner of the net.
Half time: Curzon Ashton 1 Hereford FC 1
I have to confess to being late back after half time and didn’t get a clear view of the goal that took the Bulls into the lead. I’m reliably informed it was a back post header from Preston, getting on the end of a good cross from Bartley.
Most of The Nash’s chances were being created by good crosses from the right flank by Mahon or Richardson. On 64 minutes player-manager Mahon, who had a good game, pulling the strings in midfield for the home team, whipped a ball in which was well headed home by Mols, but fortunately for Hereford the flag went up for offside.
The game became a bit of a battle from then on. I was struck by something Bartley said in his post match interview last week, that the big difference in men’s football from the academy/under-21 game is having to fight for a result when there’s something at stake. The Bulls certainly did that and held on well for the win.
I have mixed feelings saying this, but Hereford do seem to be getting better at the dark arts of football, knowing how to disrupt the opposition and when mixing it in the physical aspects of the game. The home team’s captain and number 9, Spencer, certainly knows all the tricks but Howkins and Preston were wise to them and held their own in the physical confrontations. Caddis seized the opportunity provided by 5 subs to break up the momentum of the game, as he did last week.
Once again Ceesay tormented their defence, and all the players put a good shift in. Bartley looks class, hope Caddis can extend his deal.
Another good win on the road. Let’s hope we can make it three in a row at Warrington on Tuesday night.
Full time: Curzon Ashton 1 Hereford FC 2
The Teams
Hereford: Chapman, Bartley, Preston, Howkins, Hudson, Teixeira (D'Ath 61), Campbell (Derricott 90+5), Rose ( Deacon 85), Babos (Tilt 81), Ceesay, Williams (Matwasa 73)
Curzon Ashton: Jones, Poscha, Matthews, Griffiths, Buckley-Ricketts, Sinclair, Spencer, Mols, Hayhurst, Richards, Mahon
Subs: Ollerenshaw, Sobowale, Lacey, Tetlow, Afuye
Pre match refreshments were at the Stalybridge station buffet bar. What a fine place that is. I had heard about it but had never got round to going to it – Google it, it’s terrific, like Brief Encounter meets a perfect traditional boozer. Sadly the chaps who’d proposed it as a meeting place weren’t able to make it, but I’m grateful for the suggestion.
I think yesterday was my 5th visit to the Tameside stadium, and have always been able to sit in the stand previously. However when questioned by the stewards I foolishly admitted to being a visiting supporter and was told I’d have to go to the other side of the ground. I complained and was given the “I’m only doing my job” line, which I suppose is fair enough, but I think a club at that level should be able to provide seating for both sets of supporters. Anyway we persisted and got into the stand eventually.
Segregation seems to be more common now than it used to be – are Hereford supporters getting a reputation or is it just the way the game is going in general?
At the end of the game one Bulls fan jumped onto the pitch to celebrate and was tackled to the ground by two stewards, who then forcibly marched him to the other end of the ground. Any sympathy I might have had for them “only doing their job” disappeared at that point, it seemed a totally over the top reaction.
On to Warrington - COYW.
Highlights from yesterday's 2-1 win at Curzon Ashton are now online.
Please go to: https://www.herefordfc.co.uk/highlights-curzon-ashton-1-2-hereford/
A delighted Paul Caddis gives his post match reaction to todays 2-1 win over Curzon Ashton.
Click on the play button to hear his thoughts.
Alfreton Town (0) 1-0 (0) Chorley
Brackley Town (0) 0-1 (0) Radcliffe
Chester (0) 0-0 (0) Scunthorpe United
Curzon Ashton (1) 1-2 (1) Hereford
King's Lynn Town (2) 2-0 (0) Buxton
Needham Market (0) 0-3 (2) Kidderminster Harriers
Peterborough Sports (0) 2-0 (0) Marine
Rushall Olympic (0) 1-1 (0) Darlington
Scarborough Athletic (0) 1-2 (1) Southport
South Shields (1) 1-0 (0) Leamington
Warrington Town (0) 0-2 (2) Oxford City
The updated league table can be found here: http://bullsnews.blogspot.com/p/league-table.html
Hereford won 2-1 at Curzon Ashton.
It was 1-1 at the brake.
But ten minutes into the second half Hereford took the lead.
Good work from Bartley on the right, nice deep cross, and Preston was in plenty of space.
He headed downwards quite a way out, it looked as though it might not get through, but it did.
The win takes Hereford upto second in the table.
Half time at Curzon Ashton:
Curzon Ashton 1 Hereford 1
Curzon took the lead with seven minutes on the clock, Sinclair with a powerful shot from 25 yards out.
Hereford equalised on 43 minutes through Tate Campbell again from 25 yards.
Manager Paul Caddis has a couple of chances to the starting eleven for the game at Curzon Albion.
In come Williams, Preston and Teixeira, dropping down to the bench is Deacon.
There is no place for Robinson is suspended. Rooney is also missing with a calf injury.
Chapman,Bartley, Preston, Howkins, Hudson, Teixeira, Campbell,Rose, Babos, Ceesay, Williams.
Subs (only five): Dericott, D'Ath, Matwasa, Tilt, Deacon
Hereford's coach was delayed because of an accident on the M6 but the game is expected to start on time.
For today's BN archive article a look back to this weekend in October 2001 and the visit of Scarborough to Edgar Street.
Oct 20th 2001
HEREFORD United 6 - 0 Scarborough
A missed penalty after the sending off of Scarborough defender Romain
Faure cost Hereford United a seventh goal in today's Nationwide
Conference clash as the Bulls settled for a 6-0 win.
However, the result isn't to be sniffed at as it is United's biggest win
in the Conference, and also equals that of their time in the Football
League.
Goals from Ian Wright, John Snape, Paul Parry and Gavin Williams meant a
4-0 half time lead for United, with later efforts from Rob Elmes and
Jimmy Quiggin making it 6-0 at the end. However, Quiggin missed a
penalty which could have made it 7-0 with thirteen minutes left.
Phil Robinson, the Hereford coach, went into the game after making just
two changes to the side that lost last week against Boston United. He
dropped Paul Webb to the bench for Jimmy Quiggin to start, and also
urged his side to get forward and punish any lacklustre defending from
Scarborough. Rob Elmes started in attack instead of Scott Voice.
The Bulls did exactly that and Ian Kerr's 'Boro side, which included
former United midfielder Gareth Stoker in the starting eleven, were
demolished in style.
It took just three minutes for Ian Wright to get onto the scoresheet
against a young Scarborough side when, after Gavin Williams had had an
effort saved by 'keeper Andy Woods, Paul Parry whipped in a corner for
captain Wright to head home.
Little was seen of the attacking Scarborough in the opening period as
Elmes headed wide in the fifth minutes before a Williams cross was
headed home by John Snape to net his fourth goal of the season.
David Pounder hit wide for Scarborough from the edge of the Hereford box
on a rare attack before Elmes tested Woods with a close range header.
Paul Atkinson then did well to clear yet another Hereford effort off the
line before Matt Baker got his first touch after a weak header from
Darren Stamp. Stamp missed another close range effort on twenty six
minutes before Hereford extended their lead again.
With nine minutes of the half left, Paul Parry went on a superb run,
beating three defenders and then netting past Woods from close range to
make it 3-0. Nine minutes later, a Jimmy Quiggin run allowed him to pick
out Gavin Williams who beat the hapless Woods again to give United a
four-goal half time cushion.
The second half was slightly more even as Scarborough made more of an
attempt to play in the Hereford half, but their change still didn't stop
the Bulls making the scoreline 6-0.
After thirteen minutes of the second period, Rob Elmes got his first
goal for over a month when a Paul Parry cross was headed home from the
right in-front of the Blackfriars End of Edgar Street.
Scott Goodwin tested Andy Woods with a superb effort and Gavin Williams
went close as Hereford searched for a sixth, and they got it with
fifteen minutes left. Jimmy Quiggin did well to react after Woods
spilled a blocked shot from Rob Elmes and the former Boldmere youngster
hit home from close range.
Two minutes later, Jimmy Quiggin had the perfect chance to make the
scoreline 7-0 and to record Hereford's record league victory since
gaining promotion to the Football League in 1972 after the referee, Mr.
Bratt, awarded a penalty. Scarborough defender Romain Faure was the
culprit as he fouled Matt Clarke in the box and the Frenchman was sent
off for his troubles. Quiggin stepped up but hit a high and wide effort
which he claims hit his ankle!
Nevertheless, the win was more than comfortable as United's side,
especially the attacking contingent, ripped apart a dismal Scarborough
side. The trip home for the thirty or so Scarborough fans will be a long
one, but their passion cannot be faulted as they still cheered on their
side to the bitter end.
On a Hereford note, the score is a huge boost for next Saturday's FA Cup
game at Dover Athletic. Hopefully, the result will boost confidence but
won't make the players over-confident! We don't want them thinking that
they can beat Dover easily now, do we?
Hereford United: Matt Baker, Matt Clarke, Tony Capaldi, Jimmy
Quiggin, Ian Wright (captain,) Scott Goodwin, Tony James, John Snape,
Rob Elmes (off, 88 minutes), Gavin Williams (off, 74 minutes,) Paul
Parry (off, 78 minutes)
Subs: Scott Voice (on, 78 minutes), Lee Evans, Mark Williams, Kristian
James (on, 74 minutes), Matt Gardiner (on, 88 minutes)
Yellow cards: Gavin Williams (40 minutes, foul)
Scorers Ian Wright (3 minutes) John Snape (7 minutes) Paul Parry (36
minutes) Gavin Williams (45 minutes) Rob Elmes (58 minutes) Jimmy
Quiggin (76 minutes)
Man of the Match: Gavin Williams
Attendance: 1,346
Referee: Mr. S. Bratt (Walsall)
HEREFORD United boss Phil Robinson was ready for the mauling that his
side gave to Scarborough yesterday at Edgar Street. The Bulls hammered
the sorry Yorkshiremen 6-0 in the Nationwide Conference to end a two
game losing run.
"There was never any question of our work rate, it has been tremendous
in all four games since I've taken over first team affairs," Robinson
told the Non-League Paper. "We were looking to get more crosses and
bodies into the box. That is what we did and it was an excellent
all-round team performance."
Scarborough dropped to the bottom of the table following yesterday's
defeat and manager Ian Kerr is coming under pressure. He said: "Five
goals came from high balls and we didn't defend well. I am bitterly
disappointed."
SCARBOROUGH manager Ian Kerr rated the 6-0 defeat at Hereford United on Saturday as 'a shocker'.
"That was a shocker and I can’t find anything positive to say about our
performance," he told the Scarborough Evening News. "We started very
sloppily and there was a lot of indiscipline in defence where players
simply did not pick up their men which is something we talked about
before the game.
"I calculated that five of their goals came from crosses into the box
and we did not have the desire to be first to them. I didn’t see
evidence of that throughout the afternoon. They bossed us in most parts
of the pitch and we found them too physical. The barrier in front of
Andy Woods was limited and we didn’t defend as we should and we can. I
am so bitterly disappointed."
Alfreton v Chorley
Brackley v Radcliffe
Chester v Scunthorpe
Curzon Ashton v Hereford
Kings Lynn v Buxton
Needham v Kidderminster
Peterborough Sports v Marine
Rushall v Darlington
Scarborough v Southport
South Shields v Leamington
Warrington v Oxford City
Newspapers are not having an easy time, the Hereford Times appears to be no different. So the paper is to introduce charges to those wishing to follow the progress of the Bulls during matches.
This from the editor of the Hereford Times:
Real-time reports of Hereford FC games on the Hereford Times website are read by thousands of fans every week.
Our professional sports journalists produce independent coverage of all the club’s home and away games, including cup fixtures.
It is an unrivalled service that brings supporters up close to the action as it unfolds minute by minute.
From tomorrow (Saturday, October 19) we are asking readers to help fund our Bulls coverage by subscribing to our website. It will be the only way you will be able to read these reports.
But it won’t cost you the earth! A subscription costs £1 a month for three months*. That’s only about 25p for each game!
Sign up here and you will be able to enjoy our full range of news, information and, of course, sport content.
You will also see 80 per cent less advertising and have access to our page-turner digital edition as well as membership of our Readers Rewards scheme, which offers fantastic deals on products from high street brands.
We have introduced subscriptions to ensure Herefordshire has a sustainable professional reporting service.
Our traditional source of income from advertising has for some time been under pressure from Google and Facebook, the US-based digital giants who make no contribution to Herefordshire society.
In contrast, the Hereford Times provides a trusted 24/7 local news, sport and information service; employs local people; operates from local rented premises and pays local and national taxes.
On Saturday the Bulls play Curzon Ashton away. Both sides are targeting the play-off positions and with only two points separating them going into the game, it is sure to be a thriller.
Make sure you don’t miss any of the action – subscribe now to stay close to your team. Come on, the Bulls!
*After your three-month introductory deal your subscription reverts to a still-bargain £1.99 a month.
One National North League fixture is taking place this evening.
Farsley Celtic v Spennymoor
The game is taking place at Bradford Park Avenue whilst Farsley are having a plastic pitch put in place.
Whatever the result Hereford will stay in 4th place in the table.
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| Jason Cowley At Curzon Last Season |
Hereford are away at Curzon Ashton tomorrow and the 'Curzon' match preview is written by their photographer, Oli Biddle, who has Hereford connections.
After a week of celebrations, both on and off the pitch for The Nash, (which included the celebration of the life of Harry Twamley (BEM)), the focus now switches back to the league with a home game against Hereford FC, Saturday 19th October, 3pm Kick off.
The Nash are flying! Through to the 1st round of the FA Cup where they will play Mansfield Town in a few weeks, and sitting 3rd in the National League North with a game in hand on some of those around them.
The squad is strong and again heads into this one with everyone raring to go. Isaac Sinclair returned against Kings Lynn last week, with Ben Darby missing out through injury, but it was once again those off the bench who made the difference.
The goal last week came after the substitutes combined, Manager Craig Mahon, laying off the ball for Mike Afuye who crossed for Luis Lacey to smash home, what a roar it was. These however, are the kind of headaches that aren’t a bad thing for a manager to have, and it will be interesting to see if Mahon continues to use his bench in this way going forward or potentially looks to try something new against Hereford.
Now, some may say that the National League North fixture between Curzon Ashton and Hereford FC (The Bulls) isn’t a derby, but some (like me), might call it the “Oli Biddle derby”!
My birthplace and club I followed as a youth was Hereford United. I was there in 1997, aged 11, the day (now Premier League) Brighton retained their status as a league club and Hereford fell into the then known Conference. How different history could have been!
The current club (Hereford FC) find themselves in a promising period. The manager (Paul Caddis) is into his 2nd season in charge after a complete rebuild for the 1st. This has allowed him to obtain a number of experienced players at this level and higher (Adam Rooney, Matt Preston, Yusifu Ceesay) and also keep hold of Hereford United legend Andy Williams. When all are fit, they would be considered as having one of the strongest starting 11’s in the league.
Despite being 4th in the table, the season has had its up and downs. Knocked out of the FA Cup in the 3rd qualifying round, and their fans have been disappointed in the home form (losing against Needham Market and draws against Radcliffe, Kings Lynn). It is the away form (Wins at Brackley, Buxton and Southport) that has been the catalyst to their lofty league position. This will certainly make for an interesting game at the Tameside.
I was also at the club (Hereford United) as the match day photographer on that fateful day in 2014 when my club died. We all knew it was coming but that time, still that moment hurts to this day, and it nearly broke my love of photography. Hereford United was my “home”. The “new” club has risen from the ashes of United, the same songs are still sung and the badge eludes to that with “Forever United”, but it just isn't "my" club anymore.
However, I am one of the lucky ones. When I moved to Manchester nearly 10 years ago, I didn’t know if I would find that passion again, the club and especially the people of Curzon Ashton have given me that.
If you have never been to see Curzon Ashton, I encourage you to do so. This is a community club, with its heart and passion on show 100% of the time.
Come and try us, see if your find that the Tameside Stadium could be your “HOME”.
The Bulls News Prediction League table has been updated after Saturday's 2-1 win at Buxton in the National League North.
With 116 predictions submitted, 87 correctly went for a win. Some 25 went for a draw and four for a loss.
Of those 87, 40 went for a 2-1 win so lots of 10 points handed out.
See the updated table below, click read more if you cannot see it.
Next up is Curzon Ashton away in the National League North on Saturday.
Be sure to email your username and prediction to bnpredictions@outlook.com by 2pm on Saturday.
It's also not too late to enter for the first time. New entrants are accepted throughout the season.
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Some miseries would argue as an established fact that Hereford FC have found their level as a mid-table National League North club given the playing budget that’s available to be spent. On 2500 crowds that does seem crazy, but sanity and logic are skewed by sugar daddies at this level, the level above, the one below with Matlock et al, and right throughout football. If you don’t have one, you spend money you don’t have to compete with those who do. If you do have one and they get bored, you go bust. If you don’t have one and you spend money you don’t have to compete with those who do, you go bust. The other option is for your sugar daddy to get bored and as a result you end up being owned by a Chinese state-controlled bank (see Reading FC) which is a whole other level of mess. Well done football – this is where the race to the ethical bottom, fuelled by greed, arrogance and narcissism, is getting us.
Anyway, after that lengthy preamble, which I’ll somehow attempt to add relevance to in a sec, onto this week’s game, and it’s an almost-top-of-the-table clash. Given that it’s against Curzon Ashton that seems a bit bonkers - relatively recently they would have seen finishing fifth from bottom as a successful season. Now, finishing fifth from top would be a bit meh.
These days they’re solid play-off contenders and currently sit in third position in the still fledgling National League North table. Hereford are fourth despite recent injuries and plain bad officiating going against them. That suggests (and this is where I’ll try to squeeze the relevance of the preamble in), that the Bulls could well prove the miseries wrong, break free of the shackles of being a mid-table NLN club and actually finally get to compete in the play-offs this season.
OK, going on to then become competitive at a level up is a whole different thing, as Kidderminster and Boston would attest to, but one way of succeeding without bottomless pockets is to have a manager with the one-off genius of Brian Clough or Graham Turner (OK, two-off genius, but ‘two-off genius’ isn’t a thing is it?). Paul Caddis could yet prove to be a managerial three-off genius, and get the club promoted and consolidate in a division we used to think was slightly beneath us - ‘On Loan to the Conference’ t-shirts and all.
Alex Babos got through an hour and a bit on Saturday, and should start again here and be all the fitter for that comeback appearance. Yusifu Ceesay continues to suggest that a repeat of his at-times-unplayable form of last season is spluttering into life following a disrupted pre-season. Ahkeem Rose looks like he might be about to go on a goal spree, and Andy Williams will be keen to build on last week’s winner.
Given that the Buxton goal shouldn’t have counted last week, goalie Aaron Chapman and his defenders kept yet another clean sheet, and are starting to look like a formidable unit. Ryan Bartley slotted seamlessly into that unit last Saturday and looks to be the sort of loanee who’s worth having rather than someone brought in to make up the numbers.
There was quite a lot riding on last Saturday’s game at Buxton, because despite the Bulls proving to be difficult nuts to crack so far this season, they were tending to become draw specialists, and a loss would have caused some concern. However, they came back with the points despite the officials doing their best to again deny them the points, and now sit pretty in that fourth place in the table, still having lost only one all season but now with a nice shiny ‘W’ next to their name as the most recent result to avoid a ‘DDDD’ situation.
To add to the positivity, Sammy Robinson’s signing of a contract for the season this week was great news, with the defender’s contribution already being hugely significant, and not just defensively.
Curzon had last weekend off in terms of their NLN commitments as they were busy progressing to the first round of the FA Cup in knocking out Kings Lynn. Their last league game saw them beat Buxton 1-0 in the Peaks, so in terms of form lines this one could be close, and possibly low scoring, although form lines don’t account for Ahkeem looking like he’s got a goal spree in him.
They’ve only scored five goals in five home games so far this season, but they’ve also only conceded two, and no-one’s more defensively frugal than that apart from Farsley, who have conceded only one, but that’s down to the fact that they’ve only played one game at home so far.
New signing Luis Lacey got the goal that took the Nash into the next round of the Cup. The ex-Barnsley and Tranmere Liverpudlian could have earned himself a starting place with that contribution. Goal threats will come from Spanish midfielder Stefan Mols and centre forward Jimmy Spencer.
Another away win and the Bulliever herd will continue to grow at the expense of the miseries.
COYW