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Hereford team news for this afternoon's National North League fixture at Chorley.
Lewis Hudson starts, no place for Aaron Skinner who has a hamstring proble..
Billy Phiĺlips also misses out and Will Merrett is suspended
Hereford: Richardson, Hudson, Kandola, Tustin, Willis, Holmes, Spokes, James, Iwunze, Howkins, Martin
Subs: Waldron, Cox, Lewis, Muir, Bitemo, Williamson
A list of all the fixtures set to take place in the National North League this afternoon.
Brackley v Chester
Chorley v Hereford
Hednesford v Morecambe
Kings Lynn v Spennymoor
Merthyr v Hebburn
Scarborough v Buxton
South Shields v Southport
Telford v Spalding
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| Matt Clarke - Picture From Matt Healey |
It was during November 1998 that defender Matt Clarke joined Hereford United.
A look back:
MATT Clarke today vowed to put a nine month injury nightmare behind him and prove his Conference class at Hereford United reports the Sports Argus.
The 24-year-old defender is delighted to have been handed the chance to revive his career in non-League's top flight after linking up with the Bulls on a free transfer from Kidderminster Harriers.
Twelve months ago, Clarke seemed to have taken the next step on the ladder into League football when he joined Harriers in a £10,000 move from Halesowen Town, marked down as Crewe-bound Marcus Bignot's successor.
But he managed 14 starts before being laid low by injury in February - and he hasn't played a first team game since.
He was due to make his Bulls debut today against Doncaster and he vowed: I want to make up for lost time.
"It's nine months since I last played in the Conference and the main thing is that I get back to playing regular football," said Clarke, who had fought back from a double hernia operation last season, only to suffer an ankle injury in pre-season.
"It's a great set-up at Kidderminster and I would have loved to stay there but I couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel.
"It's been very frustrating on the sidelines.
"But I still think I've got a lot to offer as a Conference player and I'm grateful that Graham Turner has given me a chance at Hereford.
"I'm confident in my ability that if I get that chance I will keep my place."
Hednesford, Telford and Halesowen Town had all been alerted when Clarke was given a free transfer but it was the link with Turner and Bulls chief scout Ron Jukes, who had taken him to Wolves as a trainee, that tipped the balance.
"I thought I might have had to drop down a level but it was very flattering that a few Conference clubs were interested in me," added Clarke.
"Having a taste of Conference football, I'm hungry for some more."
Jukes, who had spotted Clarke as a West Bromwich schoolboy, points out that Hereford will have more than one player in bringing him to Edgar Street.
While Clarke prefers a right-back role, he has figured as a central defender and can also slot into midfield.
"When you have a small squad, like we do you are always on the look-out for someone who can play in several positions," added Jukes. "Matt has got a versatility that will assist the squad.
"He's still got time on his side; he has got a degree of Conference experience and I'm sure he will do well."
The Guardian has published an article about anti-social behaviour in Non-League football. In particular it noted the growing trend of more problems with teenagers.
It covers recent troubles involving Hednesford youngsters and what that club is trying to do the address the menace.
One paragraph mentions trouble at Hereford caused by Redditch fans.
'In the West Midlands, for example, teens from Hednesford will band together with those nominally affiliated with Redditch or Cannock Town. When there was trouble recently at Hednesford’s fixture at Hereford, local police said the majority of disorder had been caused by Redditch fans chasing supporters from Solihull Moors. It isn’t just local either. Children as young as 12 have been detained in the north-west having travelled from the south coast, a distance of more than 200 miles.'
Link to the article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/nov/07/antisocial-behaviour-non-league-football-youth-hooligans-police
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An away match! Hurray!
Hereford FC travel up to Lancashire to play Chorley on Saturday, presumably grateful for a break from Edgar Street and a chance to pick up some points on the road. Three home games have delivered no points and no goals recently, so this, and a trip to troubled Morecambe on Tuesday in a Lancashire double-header, could be just what’s needed to regain some confidence.
A 4-2 loss in this fixture last season, courtesy of some characteristically charitable defending, resulted in the first real groundswell of movement among fans against Paul Caddis continuing as manager. We may be having a bit of a wobble, but things are generally a lot rosier a year on.
The club has benefitted from some bumper gates this season already, suggesting that the coffers are in a reasonably healthy state. If the manager felt that some strengthening was needed he’d presumably be backed, but that may be a bit premature if recent form is just a blip, and he seems keen to allow the squad as it stands the opportunity to prove that.
There’s a slight sense that the side is getting out-nastied on occasion and is consistently second-best in playing the ref. There’s plenty to recommend that from an ethical point of view, but the National League North isn’t exactly known for prioritising or rewarding an ethical approach.
Aaron Downes does have some scope for tinkering in order to get the side out of this poor recent run. Fit-again Joe Willis could start in the centre of midfield with Kam Kandola slipping back into a three at the back. More will presumably be seen of Kameron Muir over the next few games, and of course club captain Lewis Hudson is back in the squad. Downes would presumably prefer to initially bring him on for a few minutes at the end of a game that’s already been put to bed, which will hopefully be this one.
Preston Bitemo is back, and the Bulls’ poor patch has coincided with his absence, so perhaps that bit of bite(mo) that he provides has been lacking.
Billy Phillips wasn’t deemed quite ready last Saturday after limping off against Telford, but could make the bench here.
While recent home form has been horrible, the Bulls’ away record this season reads W4 D1 L1. Plenty to be positive about there.
Chorley are all over the place form-wise, alternately winning and losing each week. It’s unsurprising then that they’re bang in the middle of the table, six points behind Hereford. They’re solid enough at Victory Park though, having won four of their seven home games.
Andy Preece will be irritated by that inconsistency, and I can’t imagine he’s much fun to be around when he’s irritated. The Worcestershire-born manager would have been hoping to turn things round this season, following a finish last time only five points above Hereford. Early signs suggest that they’re still some way short of returning to being one of the hardest-to-beat sides in the division.
Ex-Bull Harvey Smith has now been at the club for several seasons and is something of a fixture in their starting XI. They have lost someone who was even more of a fixture though in long-term goalie Matt Urwin, who is now at Spennymoor, although it was reported by something presumably AI-generated that he was having a ‘career break’, which is a bit insulting to Spennymoor.
Higher up the pitch ex-Alfreton forward Lewis Salmon has scored against Hereford before, and centre forward Elliot Taylor looks to be something of a find. Signed from lower-league Burscough in the summer, the 24-year-old has five goals this season.
Whilst Hereford were having an absolute horror-show on Halloween against Kings Lynn, Chorley also lost, 2-0 at struggling Spennymoor. That result will have done little for the Magpies’ spirits given that Moors have been losing to everyone, and offers plenty of hope for Hereford if they can put those home wobbles behind them and remember how good they’ve been away this season.
They also got dumped out of the Cup by Worcester recently, although maybe it’s safer not to dwell on getting dumped out of the Cup too much, especially as they went deeper into the competition than, er, some teams did.
Time to put this recent nonsense to bed and start shooting on sight, scoring goals and winning games again. 0-2 Bulls.
COYW
Leeds United have confirmed that Academy attacker Josh McDonald has joined Scarborough Athletic on a short-term youth loan.
Kyle Hudlin has signed for Harborough. The 6ft 9in striker has recently played in Vietnam. The 26 year old is one of the tallest footballers in the world.
Hereford Women have a League Cup fixture on Sunday. They play Telford at Bromyard. Kick-off is at 2pm.
The takeover of National League Gateshead has been completed. They are now owned by the American private investment company Flacks Group, subject to approval by the Independent Football Regulator.
Buxton FC have signed winger Malakai McKenzie from National League North rivals Southport FC for an undisclosed fee.
Darlington have appointed Craig Elliott as their new manager. He was previously with Bradford Park Avenue.
NL's Richard Dorman with this weekend's National North League preview:
Just three points cover the top five, so there's little room for error for anyone with designs on top spot.
So what's in store on Saturday?
South Shields are top after a 3-1 win at Oxford City last weekend, with Toby Onanaye scoring twice, and that's three wins on the bounce. With Oxford City and Macclesfield both sitting this one out, a fourth straight win would open up a five-point lead, although Macclesfield will have a couple of games in hand. Standing in their way are Southport, second from bottom and without a win in five after a 2-1 home defeat to AFC Telford United.
Buxton are the form side giving chase. Three straight wins, including a 4-2 victory over Marine on Saturday, have lifted them to fifth, and nobody in the division has scored more than their 30 goals. They make the trip to the North Yorkshire coast to face Scarborough Athletic, who have lost their last two and sit 21st.
Hereford went into their midweek game with AFC Telford United top of the table, but lost that one 1-0 and then went down 3-0 to King's Lynn Town on Saturday. Two home defeats in four days have dropped them to fourth, and next up is a visit to Chorley, who were beaten 2-0 at Spennymoor last time out but had won three of their four games before that.
Speaking of which: King's Lynn Town bounced back in style at Edgar Street, Kwame Thomas scoring twice, just four days after a 5-0 defeat at Worksop. Now sixth, they host bottom side Spennymoor Town, whose 2-0 win over Chorley was only their second league win of the season.
Seventh hosts eighth at Keys Park, where a single point separates Hednesford Town and Morecambe. Hednesford have won four of their last five, including a 1-0 win at Chester on Saturday, while Morecambe arrive on a run of three straight wins and having conceded just 12 all season, a record bettered only by Oxford City, Macclesfield and Hereford.
Chester have alternated wins and defeats over their last four games, and that home loss to Hednesford came after Connor Murphy was sent off at the start of the second half. They travel to Brackley Town, who won 1-0 at Worksop last weekend and sit 16th.
Elsewhere, AFC Telford United are unbeaten in four, with wins at Hereford and Southport in the last week and a half, and host Spalding United, who ended a run of four without a win by beating Darlington 3-2. And it's a long trip from Tyneside to the South Wales valleys for Hebburn Town, who visit Merthyr Town with both sides winless in five. Merthyr have drawn seven times this season, more than anyone else in the division
Former Hereford midfielder Eliot Richards has posted that he is free of cancer.
Back in 2015 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Then earlier this year he was diagnosed with cancer for a second time.
The National League has lifted the latest Morecambe FC embargo.
'Morecambe Football Club can confirm that the National League removed the player registration embargo earlier this morning.'
The embargo was placed on the club on October 26th for 'non-compliance with league financial regulations - football creditors'.
Hereford are away at Morecambe next Tuesday evening.
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| Andy Williams on target at Chorley last season |
Hereford are away at Chorley tomorrow afternoon and manager Aaron Downes says it will be another tough challenge.
"Chorley are strong at home," Downes told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
"They have good home form generally.
"It will be a tough game, no doubt.
"You know you've got to be really strong physically and mentally going to Chorley because they do put you under pressure, they put balls in the box, they make you defend, so we've got to do that really well.
"But we've got to cause them issues and cause them problems."
