Match Report: Hereford FC 0-3 King's Lynn Town

Hereford FC v King's Lynn Town in the Enterprise National League North.

Hereford were back at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium once again after the disappointing and frustrating local derby defeat against AFC Telford United on Tuesday night looking to bounce back after surrendering top spot with the visit of former manager Paul Caddis and assistant manager Adam Rooney with their King's Lynn Town side.

The Linnets had former Hereford man Harley Hamilton in their ranks along with Hereford born shot-stopper Ronnie Hollingshead who both started.

There was only one change to the starting XI from the defeat against the Bucks with Fin Holmes’ first start since returning from injury in place of Billy Phillips who initially dropped to the bench before being replaced by Jordan Williamson pre kick-off, amongst that bench was Lewis Hudson who it was brilliant to see back in the fold following his own injury he picked up in the final pre-season outing at Bromsgrove Sporting.

The Bulls started on the offensive when Luke Spokes played in Holmes down the left channel before the cross eventually found Harry Tustin on the opposite side, but his shot was into the clutches of Hollingshead.

Ross Crane then fired over from the edge of the area for the visitors.

A loose pass by Tustin in midfield was picked up by Jesse Nwabueze who's effort from the edge of area took a nick off Will Merrett for a corner before the Linnets opened the scoring from the set-piece on 13 minutes. Captain Michael Clunan delivered towards the back post which Kwame Thomas got to before he was tugged to the deck by Kyle Howkins for a penalty from which he nonchalantly slotted down the middle.

Three minutes later and the visitors doubled their lead when Crane’s whipped cross from the right towards the back found Thomas again who headed back across goal for his brace.

Hereford regrouped and quickly responded when a neat ball through by Spokes was picked up by Harrison Iwunze who opened his body up but couldn't find the bottom-right corner with a curling effort which flew wide.

Spokes’ conjured delivery from a free-kick on the edge of the box on the left towards the front post was too close to the visiting shot-stopper.

Screams for a penalty from the home crowd were waved away by referee John Mulligan when Ryan Tunnicliffe brought down Danny Waldron.

In the 4 minutes of stoppage time Hereford had two quick-fire opportunities to try to pull a goal back, firstly Skinner floated a delightful ball into the box for Iwunze who's glancing header forced an acrobatic save out of Hollingsworth who tipped away for a corner before shortly afterwards a corner by Spokes was headed on target by Howkins only for it to be blocked on the line by Clunan and cleared meaning the Bulls had work to do in the second-half.

Half-time: Hereford FC 0-2 King's Lynn Town 

Tustin burst out of the traps advancing to the edge of the box before being tackled by ex-Bull Hamilton with the loose ball trickling through to Iwunze who let the ball run onto his right but lashed wide.

12 minutes after the restart and King's Lynn almost added a third but Nwabueze rattled the woodwork after he beat Joseph James for pace down the left, cut inside, drove towards the edge of the box and let rip with his right foot.

However they did get an elusive third when Crane won the ball near the right corner flag laid the ball off to Aaron Jones who weaved towards the box curling into the bottom-left corner.

Tustin’s looping drive almost found the right side of the net from 25-yards but deflected off Ethan Warne for a corner before Spokes warmed the gloves of the Linnets keeper fizzing a drive straight down his throat.

There was a passage of play where no notable goalmouth action took place until the 88th minute - Kam Kandola’s fierce shot fell straight into the midriff of the visiting shot-stopper.

Late on substitute Keziah Martin floated a teasing cross onto the head of Iwunze but the Notts County loanee's flicked effort looped comfortably wide of the right post before Spokes sliced wide past the same upright with King's Lynn seeing the remainder out.

Full-time: Hereford FC 0-3 King's Lynn Town

Hereford FC: 1. Theo Richardson, 2. Aaron Skinner, 4. Kam Kandola ©️, 5. Will Merrett, 8. Harry Tustin, 10. Danny Waldron, 11. Fin Holmes, 14. Luke Spokes, 17. Joseph James, 19. Harrison Iwunze, 28. Kyle Howkins.

Substitutes: 3. Lewis Hudson, 6. Joe Willis, 7. Keziah Martin, 9. Cawley Cox, 15. Jordan Williamson, 21. Ollie Lewis, 30. Kameron Muir.

Attendance 3555 (38 away)

Another tough to take home defeat which is now three on the bounce where we’ve failed to score. It's back to the drawing board, looking for a response at Chorley whilst former manager Caddis will be ecstatic with his King's Lynn sides response following their midweek 5-0 humbling at Worksop Town.

It's a trip to Lancashire for the Bulls next up with a visit to Victory Park the home of Chorley FC. COYW

Words: Sam Cummins 

We Fully Deserved The Three Points Said Caddis

Kings Lynn won their game at Hereford 3-0 this afternoon and afterwards manager Paul Caddis spoke about their victory.

"Absolutely delighted, buzzing for the players," said Caddis.

"This is a real, real tough place to come, a real tough place.

"They haven't conceded a lot of goals.

"We wanted to come and try and silence the crowd, we know there is an expectation here  that can sometimes be a bit false, we knew we had to try and control that.

"I thought Hereford started really well, first ten minutes they put a lot of balls down the side, we always thought they would be pretty direct with putting balls forward and get after the game which they did.

"But I think we were clinical and fully deserved the three points.

"I think in the end it was fairly comfortable in the last fifteen minutes. 

"Hereford are second in the League, to score three goals here is absolutely amazing.

"I thought the referee was outstanding in terms of decision making, I thought he was first class'

"I'm absolutely delighted for our group of players, I really am." 

Remembrance Matchday At Edgar Street

Representatives from the Royal British Legion were at Edgar Street this afternoon for the club's annual Remembrance matchday.

The one minute silence took place just before kick-off. 

Today's National North League Results

Results of the games played in the National North League this afternoon.

Bedford Town 0 Macclesfield 3

Buxton 4 Marine 2

Chester 0 Hednesford Town 1

Hebburn Town 1 Harborough Town 1

Hereford 0 King's Lynn Town 3

Morecambe 2 Scarborough Athletic 0

Oxford City 1 South Shields 3

Radcliffe 3 Merthyr Tow 3n

Southport 1 AFC Telford United 2

Spalding United 3 Darlington 2

Spennymoor Town 2 Chorley 0

Worksop Town 0 Brackley Town 1 

 

https://x.com/NL_Enterprise/status/2116580678133551300/photo/2Hereford drop to 4th. They would have gone top had they defeated Kings Lynn.

South Shields are top, Oxford City second and Macclesfield third. 

REACTION | Aaron Downes - Hereford FC 0-3 Kings Lynn

Aaron Downes gives his post match reaction to todays 3-0 defeat, click on the play button to hear his thoughts.

REACTION | Harry Tustin - Hereford FC 0-3 Kings Lynn

Harry Tustin gives his post match reaction to todays 3-0 defeat, click on the play button to hear his thoughts.

Full time: Hereford 0-3 Kings Lynn

Hereford have gone down to a 3-0 defeat against Paul Caddis’ Kings Lynn. 

Having conceded a Kwame Thomas penalty after 13 minutes, Thomas scored a second just three minutes later. 

Aaron Jones made it 3-0 on 65 minutes. Despite Hereford pressure, they failed to break through a Kings Lynn backline and suffer a second successive home defeat. 

Half time: Hereford 0-2 Kings Lynn

Hereford trail 2-0 at the break at Edgar Street. 

Both goals have come from Kwame Thomas, the first from the penalty spot. 

Hereford’s best effort came late in the half, with Harrison Iwunze forcing the Kings Lynn goalkeeper into an acrobatic save. 

Team news: Hereford v Kings Lynn

Fin Holmes starts for Hereford with Billy Phillips dropping to the bench for this afternoon’s game against Kings Lynn.

Lewis Hudson is among the substitutes, replacing Liam Roberts after his loan spell ended.

Kings Lynn manager Paul Caddis names Harley Hamilton in his starting eleven.

Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Kandola, Merritt, Tustin, Waldron, Holmes, Spokes, James, Iwunze, Howkins. 

Subs: Hudson, Willis, Martin, Cox, Lewis, Phillips, Muir.

Updated: Just before kick-off Hereford's Billy Phillips was replaced by Jordan Williamson. Phillips took a knock in last Tuesday's game against Telford.

Caddis Over Calls Attendances At Hereford

Paul Caddis is back at Hereford this afternoon in charge of Kings Lynn.

Remembering his time at Edgar Street he has been talking to the Eastern Daily Press about how attendances increased during his time in charge.

"So I'm immensely proud of the time I had there. I had a brilliant relationship with everyone there internally. I had a good relationship with the supporters. Obviously things turn sour when things don't go so well. 

"But we took the average attendance up from 1,800 to 3,500, almost touching 4,000. We had some brilliant moments there. A club I've got real respect for. They gave me my first opportunity in management."

However the attendance stats tell a different story.

In the 22/23 season, the one before Caddis arrived, the average gate at Hereford was 1864. So his mention of 1800 gates is correct.

In 23/23 they averaged 2600

In 24/25 they averaged 2826

In 25/26 they averaged 2611 

Where he gets averages of 3500 from is unclear.

And almost touching 4000 even more unclear. 

Kings Lynn Are A Good Team Said Downes

Kings Lynn are the visitors to Edgar Street this afternoon and Hereford manager Aaron Downes is well aware that Lynn have had a decent run of results until their 5-0 defeat at Worksop on Tuesday evening.

"They are a good team," Downes told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"A team that's got a mixture between youth and experience in their squad.

"Some youthfulness end at the top of the pitch and they also got some experience throughout the spine. 

"There's the added aspect of the previous manager coming back.

"I'm not naive to that." 

Meanwhile as is usual with a home game taking close close to Remembrance Day members of the Royal British Legion will be present. 

A one minute silence will be held just before kick-off. 

This Afternoon In The National North League

A list of all the fixtures set to take place in the National North League this afternoon.

Bedford Town v Macclesfield

Buxton v Marine

Chester v Hednesford Town

Hebburn Town v Harborough Town

Hereford v King's Lynn Town

Morecambe v Scarborough Athletic

Oxford City v South Shields

Radcliffe v Merthyr Town

Southport v AFC Telford United

Spalding United v Darlington

Spennymoor Town v Chorley

Worksop Town v Brackley Town

 

Downes Looks For Consistency

 

Hereford manager Aaron Downes is looking for more consistency in his side following a disappointing 1-0 defeat last Tuesday evening.

Tomorrow the Bulls play Kings Lynn and Downes will be hoping for a win following two home defeats. 

"We've had consistency generally across the games we've had this season barring one or two games," Downes told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"But that's bound to happen.

"So yes it's been an up and down week which I don't really like but sometimes that happens."

During the interview Downes spoke about the home defeat by Telford last Tuesday evening.

He said he was partly responsible for the defeat. 

"I've got to make sure I'm better with how I set up after reading the game and reading the opposition and making sure we are right.

"The mind-set of the players I don't think was wrong.

"I just think the execution at times, some decision making, and also my set-up was wrong." 

Roberts Returns To Fleetwood

Liam Roberts has been recalled by Fleetwood from his loan spell with Hereford.

The left sided player has not started for Hereford recently but has made several substitute appearances. 

National North Weekend Preview

A look forward to the games taking place tomorrow in the National North League written by NL's Richard Dorman.

After an eventful round in midweek, we're back to Saturday afternoon action in the Enterprise National League North, and the round could hardly have a bigger opener. First meets third, with a single point between them... it's tight at the top.

So what's in store tomorrow afternoon?

Oxford City are front-runners after beating Merthyr Town 3-0 on Tuesday, and they're unbeaten in five and just eight goals shipped all season. South Shields make the long trip south trailing by just a point, and having bounced back from two defeats with wins over Chester and at Spennymoor. Victory would take them above the Hoops.

Hereford slipped to second on Tuesday, beaten 1-0 at home by Telford... but they could take top slot again if Oxford City slip up. The Bulls host King's Lynn Town, who'll want to forget a 5-0 defeat at Worksop in midweek.

Macclesfield are fourth with a game in hand, and three points cover the top four. They finished last Saturday's rain-swept defeat at home to Hereford with nine men, and now head to Bedford Town. Bedford have won two on the bounce, the latest a 1-0 win that ended Hednesford's four-game winning streak.

Speaking of which: Hednesford Town go to Chester looking to start another run. Chester, now fifth, beat Marine 2-1 on Tuesday but lost Wesley Agyekum to a late red card.

Buxton are the division's top scorers with 26, and Sisa Tuntulwana has 11 of them. They've won at Chorley and beaten Harborough 3-0 in the past week. Marine, their opponents, had won three in a row before holding Oxford City with ten men and losing narrowly at Chester.

Bartosz Cybulski shares top spot in the scoring charts with Tuntulwana, but Spalding United have taken just a single point from their last four. They host Darlington, where Terry Mitchell's interim spell began with a Dylan Stephenson hat-trick against Spennymoor, before a 1-0 defeat at Morecambe on Tuesday.

Radcliffe and Merthyr Town are both on 15 points. Radcliffe's winning start under Grant Shenton ended with a 3-0 home defeat to Chorley on Tuesday, when Charlie Raglan and Josh Seary were both sent off. Merthyr haven't won in five and face a long trip north; they currently sit a place above hosts Radcliffe on goal-difference.

Second-from-bottom Southport have two wins all season and none in their last five - new boss Calum McIntyre will be looking to change their fortunes in his dugout debut. AFC Telford United arrive in much better heart, after Tuesday's 1-0 win at Hereford lifted them four places.

Spennymoor Town remain bottom with one win all season, and their 27 goals conceded is the most in the division. Chorley are the visitors, fresh from that win at Radcliffe, and Jake Oram faces his old club a week after making his Chorley debut.

Worksop Town put five past King's Lynn on Tuesday - now they host Brackley Town, who needed two goals from substitute DJ Campton-Sturridge to draw 2-2 at Spalding. Morecambe have won their last two and welcome Scarborough Athletic, who haven't played since losing at home to Bedford. And Hebburn Town, with one win in five, host Harborough Town, beaten at Buxton in midweek - a maiden meeting between the pair at Step 2.