National North Weekend Preview

This preview is written by the NL's Tom Scott:

Just like that we're already onto the second Enterprise National League North weekend.

After a long-awaited return seven days ago, what will this Saturday hold ahead?

Newcomers Hebburn Town lead the fledgling league table by virtue of goals scored - they're on the road for the first time this season at Brackley Town.

Spalding United also opened their Step 2 account with a win after seeing off Radcliffe. 

Oxford City - who narrowly saw off Bedford - are up next for Jimmy Dean's side.

Only two draws were chalked up last week - two of those sides meet as Morecambe make the trip to Harborough Town.

The other two looking to build on solid points are Spennymoor Town who host Merthyr Town and King's Lynn Town who make the trip to triumphant Chester who won at Chorley last week.

Hereford and Marine both lost their openers and they meet while two other defeated sides - Hednesford Town and Scarborough Athletic will both be hoping to get on the board.

Buxton boss Jordan Broadbent said his side's win last week was a 'release' after a tough fortnight for the Bucks - they head to Southport looking to make their good start a great one.

Worksop Town made their long journey home from Darlington a joyful one on MD1, the Tigers have home comforts this week with AFC Telford United in town.

The Quakers are on the road for the first time with a trip to fellow winless side Bedford.

Elsewhere, Macclesfield host Radcliffe while Chorley head to fancied South Shields.

Saturday's Enterprise National League North fixtures:
Bedford Town v Darlington
Brackley Town v Hebburn Town
Chester v King's Lynn Town
Harborough Town v Morecambe
Hednesford Town v Scarborough Athletic
Hereford v Marine
Macclesfield v Radcliffe
South Shields v Chorley
Southport v Buxton
Spalding United v Oxford City
Spennymoor Town v Merthyr Town
Worksop Town v AFC Telford United

 

Marine At Home

This from Bulls Battalion:

 

Hereford 11/10 To Defeat Marine

Hereford are at home tomorrow afternoon. Their opponents are Marine and the bookmakers are offering around 11/10 for a Hereford win.

Last Saturday Hereford lost 2-1 at Buxton whilst Marine were defeated 1-0 by Macclesfield.

Hereford 11/10 Draw 13/5 Marine 21/10. 

Bare bones

Just a few months ago these two sides played out a couple of matches that contributed hugely to the securing of Hereford FC’s National League North status, in earning the Bulls an unlikely six points. The last five minutes of the second of those games, at Edgar Street, was as dramatic as you could wish for.

Luckily Aaron Skinner seems to have nerves of steel and dispatched a penalty at the death in that game that went a long way to ensuring that the Bulls are playing this fixture again this season.

This one won’t pack such an emotional punch, but the hosts, beset by an already crippling injury list, will be mustard keen for the same outcome in order to get their season up and running following a loss at Buxton last weekend.

Marine kicked off the season last weekend with a home loss against a Macclesfield side powerful and unpleasant enough to go very well this season. A 2000+ crowd saw the home side ‘pummelled’ throughout the game by Macc, and that description came from a home reporter.

Hopefully any residual shellshock the Merseysiders are feeling from that will allow Hereford to dole out another pummelling here. From a glass-half-empty perspective, if the hosts themselves get pummelled it will offer worrying evidence that they’re a very long way short of Macclesfield’s standard this season.

Marine arguably had the better of the game at Edgar Street in April, so this will be a useful yardstick to judge how much better this season’s squad is, or at least the vestiges of that squad who are fit enough to play a game of football, and therefore how much further up the league it can finish.

Young striker Jordan Hodkin arrived from Crewe a day before the start of the season, but wide man Fin Sinclair-Smith is their big danger, and they’ve done well to keep hold of him over the summer. He’s scored 53 in 160 appearances for Marine, and is well worth doubling up on defensively whenever possible. Nullify him and you’re well on the way to getting something out of the game.

Arguably half of Aaron Downes’ starting XI will be missing for this. Fin Holmes and Joe Willis will be out for a good while longer yet, as will captain Lewis Hudson. Joseph James was expected to start last week at Buxton but didn’t, with hopefully a more minor problem than the aforementioned three. Danny Waldren wasn’t risked as a starter against Buxton either, and is clearly not 100% fit. The bench on Saturday may have one or two spare seats, or a smattering of youth teamers.

Any and all points gained whilst the treatment table is so overcrowded will be hard-earned.

To add insult to injury, in addition to the walking wounded Preston Bitemo now faces a three-game ban after getting sent off last weekend (Aaron Downes did mention an appeal but nothing seems to have come of that). Not the start he would have wanted to what could be something of a career-defining season for him. Hopefully the injury to Buxton’s Connor Kirby resulting from a 50/50 challenge with the Hereford youngster isn’t a career-ender for the Bucks man.

Notts County loanee Harrison Iwunze does look like a probable starter here though, and Harry Tustin looks a shoo-in after coming on as a substitute at Buxton and immediately adding some quality to proceedings. It’s really good to see him back.

Kyle Howkins will be back in defence after missing the Buxton game for not getting sent off against Marine last season - something like that anyway. His presence will offer huge reassurance as the Bulls look to demonstrate that they can now use home advantage to dominate against mid-table sides like Marine, rather than look intensely troubled by them.

This will be the first glimpse for many supporters of the new recruits. It will also be a big occasion for local lads Cawley Cox and Jordan Williamson, and they’ll have extra impetus to make an impact in front of what should be a busy Meadow End.

One game in and already this season’s getting complicated, with the absentees and the sending off, as well as the defensive switch-off for Buxton’s late winner last Saturday. Shades of last season a bit there.

A win would uncomplicate things a little – you know where you are with a nice win – and it would allow everyone to breathe a bit easier ahead of the second of an Edgar Street Saturday-Tuesday double-header, which sees Radcliffe come south. That looks very winnable, and the Bulls will be looking for four points from these two games at least.

The omens aren’t at all bad for this one either – three wins and a draw have been earned by Hereford in the four games they’ve played against Marine since the latter were promoted.

So players are missing, but the manager would have said before a ball was kicked that anyone and everyone in the squad is at the club because they can cut it at this level. This is a chance for the fit players to prove it.

COYW

Badges On Sale At Marine Match

A large selection of HFC pin badges will be on sale pre match this Saturday v Marine. The badges pictured will be 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 U18's defeated by Malvern Town U18's in season opener

Hereford FC U18's we're beaten 3-1 by Malvern Town U18's in their opening game of the season in the Midland Floodlit Youth League Southern Division tonight.

The game took place at Belmont Wanderers' Newton Farm with the Hillsiders taking a slender 1-0 lead into the break through Jesse Fox-Howard before they added two quick-fire goals early in the second-half through Jesse Fox-Howard getting his brace and Finn Waller.

The young Bulls responded with Milo Corbett getting a consolation before Malvern saw the rest of the game out.

Hereford are in action back at Newton Farm next Wednesday evening for their second game of the season when they take on Droitwich Spa U18's.

Words: Sam Cummins

News Round Up

Former Hereford winger Ryan McLean has joined Worcester City on a season long loan from Matlock Town.

Kidderminster has named David Davies as their captain. It is his third season with the club.

Supporters going to watch Hereford next Saturday are reminded that the car park at the Courtyard is currently closed. 

 

 

 

Lots Of Interest In Hospitality When Kings Lynn Visit Hereford

The National North League fixture between Hereford and Kings Lynn set to take place on October 31st is attracting a lot of interest for pre-match hospitality

Could it even be that the likely return of former manager Paul Caddis is a factor? 

Whatever the reasons most tables are already booked with both the London Bulls and Bulls News having secured tables for that Saturday. 

For more information about pre-match hospitality, please contact Martin Brain via mbrain@herefordfc.co.uk or 07468 495 731. 

Gates Up 20% In National Leagues Last Saturday

Over 1500 watched the game between Buxton and Hereford

Gates in the three National Leagues were up 20% on the opening day last season.

The total number was 72,470 compared with 60,088 on August 8th last year.

In the National League 35,432 watched, 10,695 more than last year.

20,006 watched National North League games and 17,032 watched National South fixtures. That figure would have been higher but for Slough whose games against Ebbsfleet was postponed.  

Just three fixtures had gates below 1,000. 

Seven Plastic Bottles In Every Kidderminster Playing Shirt

 

As part of Kidderminster Harriers 'commitment to sustainability', it's been revealed that there are seven plastic bottles in each of their first team playing shirts.

This from Kidderminster about some of what they have achieved in recent seasons.

'The club’s partnership with Bromsgrove District Council’s Commercial Waste Services has recycled a further 15 tonnes of waste during that period, while we’re proud that 100% of our non-recyclable waste continues to be converted into renewable energy.

Our playing kits, produced by Scimitar, a local manufacturer, are made from 100% recycled polyester. Each playing shirt contains the equivalent of at least seven plastic bottles, helping to divert plastic waste from landfill and our oceans.

The club is taking that commitment further in 2026-27, introducing a default digital version of our Season Ticket for the first time, encoring our supporters to ditch plastic. This has reduced the number of plastic ticket cards produced by over 60%, while the move to a digital-only match day programme will save approximately 200,000 sheets of paper across the season.

The programme will also be free to view, providing an additional saving for supporters while ensuring they can continue to enjoy a key part of the match day experience.' 

National North Weekend Review

A look back at the first Saturday of the new season written by NL's Sam Elliott.

More than 100 days after a competitive ball was last kicked, the Enterprise National League North and South kicked back into gear.

South Shields came so close to promotion last time and they are trying to repair broken hearts. It was a strong start following a 1-0 win at Scarborough - they did it with ten men after Sonny Finch’s opener.

Morecambe are well tipped to go up this time but they couldn’t get the winning start they craved. They needed a Matty Daly penalty in a 1-1 draw with Spennymoor Town.

Macclesfield, also in the summer promotion conversation, did win on opening day. Finley Shrimpton scored the winner in a tight affair at Marine.

Billy Waters’ late goal earned Chester victory at Chorley to get the Phil Parkinson era up and running.

A number of newcomers made a brilliant start.

Hebburn Town won 3-1 against Southport, as Bart Cybulski’s double for Spalding United downed Radcliffe.

Josh Tomlinson got Brackley Town’s winner at AFC Telford and there were winning starts for Buxton, Merthyr Town and Worksop Town, who won well at Darlington.

 

Hereford 33/1 To Win League Title

After Saturday's defeat at Buxton the bookmakers are now offering 33/1 for Hereford to win the National North League title.

Last week the price was 25/1.

South Shields remain favourites at 4/1.

Macclesfield are 11/2, Morecambe 6/1 and Chester 8/1. 

Big Plans For Bath City

There are big plans for Bath City football club after a promise of a £6M cash injection from new investors.

The investors are led by  Andrew Stalbow, co-founder and CEO of a mobile entertainment company. He says he has raised the money from 50 investors.

He has written to shareholders setting out his plans.

The club is losing money and has survived thanks to donors who choose to be anonymous. The football budget in the National League South last season was a fraction of many competitors. Even in the Southern League Premier South, as currently stands, the playing budget is lean.

And our surveyor described the stadium as being ‘end of life’ – the management just haven’t had the resources to make the changes they would dearly love. The potential we all know the club has, can only be realized with a big injection of cash, some good decision making, a positive cultural energy and some serious hard work.

And while the £6M+ of initial funding we are bringing will power Scott Bartlett with a competitive budget for what should be a cracking season, it’s only a part of it:

• We want to communicate with you openly and regularly about our priorities and prove that we can be great custodians and operators of the club.
• We want to show that we’re smart financially, setting the club up for the long term.
• We want to build a clearly depicted football philosophy based on attacking football to attract the best talent on and off the pitch.
• We want to build Football League ready infrastructure, to eliminate all excuses as we work to achieve our goals.
• We want to keep costs for fans seriously low, and we can’t wait to share our first season ticket offer.
• We want the stadium to be a hub for everyone, beer should be cheap, food should be good, and the fun should be plentiful.
• We want to create an experience that attracts many thousands of fans to prove that Bath is a rugby and a football city.
• We are incredibly excited about women’s football and want to invest and make a difference there, having made such a strong start since launching in 2022.
• We want to build a club you are proud of that people round the world know and follow.

And if we can stay humble and together. If we can stay focused on doing the right thing. If we can work brilliantly with people in Twerton. If through our work ethic and our good decisions we can be a shining light. And if we can deliver well on our vision and ambition over the next few years, then this round of funding will be just the start, and we’ll attract many more people to join the journey with us, as we work to build top tier men’s and women’s teams, a modern stadium that Twerton deserves, and a much-needed training facility. To attract the best, we must earn the right one season at a time.

If we focus on the inputs and give the players a platform to shine, maybe we’ll be together at Wembley for a play-off final to the Football League over the coming five years or so; proud of each other for all having done our bit to get there and determined to reach new heights.

If you vote to approve this deal, we know we’re standing on the shoulders of giants. 

Second Half Pictures Buxton v Hereford

A selection of pictures from the second half of yesterday's fixture at Buxton.

Downes proud of Bulls' resilience - but is still frustrated

The starting line-up at Buxton

Aaron Downes said he was “proud” of the resilience his Hereford side showed at Buxton, insisting the performance under adversity deserved more than the late heartbreak that denied the Bulls an opening‑day point.

Hereford had battled through a volatile second half, a red card, long spells of pressure and a demanding away environment before Aaron Skinner’s composed 91st‑minute penalty looked to have earned a draw. But deep into stoppage time, Sisa Tuntulwana struck his second of the afternoon after a long run from halfway that went unchallenged — a moment Downes admitted was “really frustrating”.

The manager’s overriding message, however, was one of pride in his players’ response to everything thrown at them.

“They kept going and kept working and kept going,” he said. “I’m proud of how they reacted to a lot of adversity.”

Hereford had begun brightly, creating several first‑half chances through Luke Spokes, Cawley Cox and Jordan Williamson, and Downes felt his side “limited them to long throws and set plays” before the interval. The Bulls then started the second half strongly, pushing Buxton back and finding good territory before the match swung on Preston Bitemo’s dismissal.

Downes described the challenge as “competitive” and reiterated that Bitemo is “not that person”, but the red card forced Hereford to dig in for the final half hour. Even so, they still carved out a major chance when Harrison Iwunze released Cox through the middle, and their persistence was rewarded when Skinner levelled from the spot.

That determination was what Downes wanted to highlight.

“We were close to taking something from the game under real adversity,” he said. “We had to dig in and compete. We had to deal with balls in our boxes, long throws, direct free kicks, corners - we had to deal with that. But we knew we'd get our moment.”

The late concession — allowing Tuntulwana to carry the ball a long distance before the decisive shot — was the only aspect Downes struggled to accept.

He said it came from “allowing one of their players to run all the way across the pitch without a meaningful tackle or contact”, a lapse he felt did not reflect the team’s overall organisation.

Despite the disappointment, Downes stressed that the performance showed the character and resilience he expects from his squad.

“In the main, I don’t think we deserved to lose,” he said.

Hereford now turn their attention to Marine’s visit to Edgar Street next weekend, where Downes hopes the same resilience can be matched with a result.