Bulls bring in "exciting winger"

Hereford have signed an "exciting" winger who apparently "has pace to burn".

Edimond Oppong - who joins until the end of the season- is a 20-year-old who started his career at Union EuroCalcio in his homeland

In the UK, he had spells with Middlesbrough Under-21s, Belper Town and Mickleover.

Known as 'Eddy', Oppong has most recently been on the books of Kettering Town in the Southern League Premier Division Central, for whom he scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner in a 4-3 victory at Royston Town earlier this season.

The strike was later voted as the Poppies’ goal of the month.

Badges On Sale At Buxton Match

A large selection of HFC pin badges will be on sale pre match this Saturday v Buxton. The badges pictured are available at £1 or £4 each ( cash only ) from a sales point in front of the matchday ticket office. All net proceeds go directly to HFC.

Hereford 7/4 To Defeat Buxton On Saturday

Remaye Campbell Scored For Hereford Against Buxton Last Season

Hereford will hope to get back to winning ways on Saturday when full-time Buxton visit Edgar Street.

The Bulls have lost their last four games and really need three points to help lift them out of the relegation zone.

The bookmakers are pricing a Hereford win at 7/4.

Last Tuesday Hereford lost at home to Spennymoor in a game which saw the visitors score in the second minute of the game. Buxton didn't have a game that evening but last Saturday they defeated Bedford (19th) 3-0.

Currently Hereford are in 21st position in the National North table with just 38 points from 36 games. Buxton are 9th with 57 points from 39 games.

Hereford's home form is won 6, drawn 3 and lost 7.

Buxton's away form is won 9, drawn 4 and lost 6.

As for goal difference Hereford's is minus 16, Buxton's is plus 15.

Recent form: 

Hereford WWLLLL

Buxton WLWWWW 

Hereford 7/4 Draw 13/5 Buxton 6/4 

More Second Half Pictures From Hereford v Spennymoor

A second selection of pictures from last night's game at Edgar Street.

 

Second Half Pictures Hereford v Spennymoor

A selection of pictures from the second half of yesterday's game at Edgar Street.

Highlights Hereford v Spennymoor

 

Highlights from last night's game between Hereford and Spennymoor are on line.

Go to:  https://tinyurl.com/55wx9xtm 

First Half Pictures From Hereford v Spennymoor

Despite Spennymoor scoring twice in the first half, it wasn't all one way traffic.

The Ref Was Not Overly Impressed With Comments From Andy Williams And Lawson D'Ath

Pre Kick-Off Against Spennymoor

A few pictures from before kick-off at Edgar Street last night.

Former Hereford Player Ben Pollock

Fantastic Start Said Spennymoor Manager

Speaking after last night's game at Edgar Street, the Spennymoor manager, Tommy Miller, said his side had had a fantastic start scoring a goal inside two minutes of kick-off.

"First half we throughly deserved the lead," he said.

"Second half it was a little backs against the wall even though they didn't create too many problems. We had to get blocks in and stuff like that.

"We started the game really well, fantastic start.

"Great pick out for Glen Taylor and he does what he does best and hits the back of the net. He still scoring goals, he's a fantastic player for this football team."

Their second goal came from a counter attack.

"Brilliant from Ramshaw, he slots it in and Cory McKeown finishes.

"As soon as you get the ball attack, if you've got space in front of you, go and attack defenders."

Hereford did get one back late in the second half but Spennymoor hang on and took all three points.

"They got a goal back and it got a little bit nervey towards the end certainly but we defended really well. We got bodies on the line.

"We throughly deserved three points." 

Reality of Hereford's woeful start to games laid bare

Hereford went a goal down inside 90 seconds against Spennymoor Town

Hereford's woeful start to games by going a goal down so early shows no signs of letting up as they have conceded inside five minutes in four of their last five games.

It's a trademark style that has plagued the Bulls all season. Twenty games into the season, Paul Caddis' side had conceded by the 17th minute an extraordinary seven times.

In 14 of their 36 league games so far this season, Hereford have conceded by the 21st minute - picking up just eight points from 42.

It's something new boss Aaron Downes has put down to a "psychological block", though twice under his reign, the side did come back to win games.

Here's a look at the matches where the Lilywhites are gifting their opponents an early goal and setting themselves up with an uphill battle:

League matches in which Hereford have conceded in the first 20 minutes

August 16: King's Lynn (h) - conceded in the 4th minute, lost 2-0

August 23: Chorley (h) - conceded in the 6th and 11th minute, lost 4-1

August 25: Radcliffe (a) - conceded in the 17th minute, lost 1-0

September 2: Bedford (h) - conceded in the 4th and 16th minute, drew 2-2

November 1: Curzon Ashton (h) - conceded in the 6th minute, drew 3-3

December 20: Chorley (a) - conceded in the 4th minute, lost 4-2

December 26: Kidderminster (h) - conceded in the 10th minute, lost 1-0

January 31: Curzon Ashton (a) - Hereford scored in the 9th minute, conceded in the 13th minute, lost 2-1

February 21: Scarborough Athletic (h) - conceded in the 20th minute, lost 2-1

February 24: Chester (h) - conceded in the 5th minute, won 5-2

March 10: Leamington (h) - conceded in the 3rd minute, won 5-1

March 17: AFC Fylde (h) - conceded in the 5th minute, lost 4-1

March 19: Alfreton (a) - conceded after 11 seconds, lost 2-1

March 24: Spennymoor Town (h) - conceded in the 2nd minute, lost 2-1

Leamington's fate sealed after hammering by Caddis's King's Lynn

Paul Caddis's King's Lynn have condemned Leamington to the drop

Leamington’s relegation from the National League North has been confirmed after a heavy 5-2 defeat to King’s Lynn Town, managed by former Hereford boss Paul Caddis.

The Brakes, who are rock bottom with just 23 points from 40 games, needed a result to delay the inevitable but were blown away by a ruthless first-half from the visitors. Goals from Carlton Ubaezuonu, a Ross Crane brace and Jayden Davis saw King’s Lynn storm into a 4-0 lead by half-time in difficult conditions in Warwickshire.

It effectively ended any lingering survival hopes for Leamington, who have struggled all season, including when long-serving manager Paul Holleran resigned mid-season.

To their credit, the hosts showed late fight as Eric Yahaya and ex-Bull I-Lani Edwards netted their first goals for the club in the closing stages, briefly restoring some pride. However, substitute Terry Bondo added a fifth in stoppage time to underline King’s Lynn’s resurgence under Caddis, with the Linnets now pulling clear of the bottom four as they sit 16th with 49 points - one away from the magic number of 50 for safety.

For Leamington, attention now turns to rebuilding for next season at step three after a difficult campaign that has seen them cut adrift for several months.

Downes refuses to pass the buck as Bulls hit 'psychological block'

Hereford conceding early is a 'psychological block', according to boss Aaron Downes

Aaron Downes admits Hereford may be battling a “psychological block” after conceding early yet again in their 2-1 defeat to Spennymoor Town.

The Bulls found themselves behind after just 72 seconds at Edgar Street, the latest in a string of slow starts that have left them chasing games in recent weeks.

Downes was frank in his assessment, insisting the issue cannot be blamed on what came before his arrival, seeing as it was a problem the Bulls had under Paul Caddis.

"I've got to take responsibility as well because there's six players out there in the end that I've brought into the football club," he told the press.

"It's not a previous thing, I'm not going to pass the buck on that. It's easy to do that."

Hereford have now conceded early in four of their last six games, and Downes believes the problem may be more mental than tactical.

'I'm almost certain it's a psychological block," he admitted. "I've got to be the one that has to get that out of us as a group, as individuals, but as a group.

"I've addressed that at the end there but I will make sure I address that Thursday night at training and again on Saturday because it's really important that we give ourselves the opportunity to build into a match."

The early setback against Spennymoor proved costly, with the visitors doubling their lead before half-time and leaving Hereford with too much to do despite a vastly improved second-half showing.

And while Downes praised the character his side showed after the break, he made it clear where the real issue lies.

He said: "It's good that we're showing character to give it a go and to completely dominate the second half and had numerous opportunities to get ourselves back in the game and potentially something out of the game.

"But we've got to be doing that at nil-nil. We've got to be braver, stronger, smarter in how we approach the first 15 minutes of football matches because it's really frustrating.

"It's like putting a pin in a balloon when that happens at our home."

Despite the growing concern, Downes insists he has not lost faith, belief or confidence in his squad as they look to turn their form around.

The Bulls now face Buxton at Edgar Street on Saturday, hoping to close the four-point gap between themselves and Oxford City.

Match report: Bulls failing to escape relegation battle after fourth defeat in eight days

Taylor opened the scoring for Spennymoor in the second minute

 Hereford have fallen to their fourth consecutive loss despite a lively and spirited second half against Spennymoor Town.

The Bulls struggled to get a foothold in the game against the full-time outfit from the North East as wind and rain battered Edgar Street during a poor first half.

A woeful start from Aaron Downes's side saw them concede after just 72 seconds as Glen Taylor headed home his 20th goal of the season before Corey McKeown added a second in the 35th minute - both avoidable goals.

An improved performance in better conditions saw the Bulls pull a goal back from a fine Freddy Willcox strike from 25 yards, but they couldn't find a way to salvage a point after four games in eight days and make up ground in their fight against relegation.

Downes named an unchanged side after Saturday's unfortunate 3-1 defeat at Macclesfield, but from kick-off the Bulls struggled. After Harrison Sohna - yet to start his suspension after his sending off three days ago - punted the ball straight out of play from kick-off in swirling wind. After gaining possession, Spennymoor broke down the wing through McKeown and having left Aaron Skinner behind, his cross was nodded home by marksman Taylor at point-blank range.

The Bulls continued to struggle to play in the conditions, regularly sending the ball out for throw-ins and keeper Theo Richardson caused needless pressure when a poor goal kick fell straight at Cameron Salkeld's feet - but Keenan Quansah was able to stop the inevitable attack.

Richardson was called into action twice in two minutes - first to deny Mackenzie Heaney's free kick before Olly Dyson's effort sailed into his gloves.

Chances became more scarce as the rain lashed down, though in the 33rd minute Richardson pulled off a fine save as Rob Ramshaw headed down into the path of Taylor but the Hereford stopper was equal to the effort.

While Harry Tustin saw an effort blocked after good work by Cormac Daly on the left, Hereford struggled to break into Spennymoor's half and were out of possession for large chunks of the half. 

Moors doubled their advantage in the 35th minute from Tustin's chance, hitting Hereford hard on the counterattack. As Quansah tried and failed to halt the Spennymoor attack deep in their own half, it left just Kyle Howkins at the back with two Red shirts racing on and it was an easy ask for McKeown to slide the ball home.

Before the break, McKeown could have got his second when Hereford were once again caught with a counter. From a fruitless Hereford, Salkeld sent Ramshaw on his way down the right and having crossed into McKeown at the backpost, he somehow blazed a shot over the bar when well placed.

Half time: Hereford 0 - Spennymoor Town 2

Once again facing an uphill battle after two sloppy goals - one of which came so early - Hereford changed things up in the second half as Andy Williams and Mikey Lane came on in place of a quiet Harry Tustin and Keziah Martin to try and add more firepower to a lacklustre Bulls' side.

With Moors' McKeown once again getting the better of Skinner down the right, though Hudson came to the rescue to defend the cross, Hereford soon upped the ante as they attacked the Meadow End.

The avalanche of Hereford attacks soon started, the first seeing Willo meet a cross from live-wire Daly at the near-post but unable to beat Brad James between the sticks. George Munday, searching for his eighth goal in a white shirt, then saw a viscous effort blocked before slicing an effort from the rebound wide, before Lane agonisingly shot straight at James when he should have done better from a Sohna cross.

But Hereford kept the pressure up on the Spennymoor side sitting deep within their own half, James diving to stop a driven Sohna effort before the former Cheltenham man having another effort blocked as he turned a Aaron Skinner effort goalbound.

With Quansah, Skinner and Hudson all driving forwards regularly as Hereford opted a wing-back approach, Hereford did sometimes look vulnerable at the back with a lack of pace, including in the 71st minute when Taylor, Salkeld and McKeown combined but somehow the latter stabbed an effort wide.

McKeown continued to cause problems and had the defence well-beaten seven minutes later, but it was Daly who got back to dispossess the goalscorer in the 18-yard box to deny him a goalscoring opportunity.

With the game slipping through Hereford's fingers, Sohna had chance to pull a goal back from a free kick when Williams was brought down, but his curling effort from 22-yards was palmed away by the keeper. 

Munday then went close, but was denied with a goal-line clearance from Tyler Hill.

As the clock ticked into the 84th minute and the Bulls desperate for a goal, Willcox launched a rasping shot towards James's goal from 25-yards - and while the stopper could get his fingertips to the ball at full stretch, couldn't get enough on it to keep it out.

Despite continued pressure for the rest of the match - including in just four minutes of stoppage time when the visitors had been time-wasting throughout the second half, Hereford couldn't find a way back.

Full time: Hereford 1 - Spennymoor Town 2

Attendance: 2,227 (nine away)

Sponsors' man of the match: Freddy Willcox

Once again Hereford had left themselves too much to do and were punished in a poor first half showing. While the monsoon conditions at Edgar Street didn't help, sloppy defending saw them gift Spennymoor two goals - and you can't do that against one of the league's leading goalscorers in Taylor.

While the officials also didn't help, particularly the linesman under the Merton Stand struggling to make decisions on his own as well as the referee failing to get on top of Moors' timewasting, Hereford have only got themselves to blame. Tonight was a good opportunity to make up ground on teams, including Oxford City, and they failed to do so.

An interesting end to the season coming up. We really don't make it easy.

Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Hudson, Sohna, Quansah, Munday, Daly, Martin (Williams 46'), Willcox, Tustin (Lane 46'), Howkins

Subs not used: Lewis, Preston, D'Ath, Donawa, James.

Spennymoor Town: James, Dyson, Heaney, Taylor, Ramshaw (Mondal 49'), Stephenson, Pollock, Broadbent, Hill, McKeown, Salkeld (Beals 75')

Subs: Johnson, Hancox, Williams, Foreman, Nouble.