INTERVIEW | Andy Williams

Andy Williams spoke to Bulls News as he wrapped up his playing career yesterday. Click on the play button to hear his thoughts.

Bulls News Prediction League final table and end of season prizes

The Bulls News Prediction League has been updated for the final time this season after Hereford drew 2-2 to Peterborough Sports at a gloriously sunny Edgar Street.

Of the 95 competitors who submitted predictions for this triple points game, only Gullibull went for a 2-2 draw. That's a massive 30 points for them, seeing them rise 33 places to 35th. Overall, 85 went for a win, four for a loss and six for a draw.

Over the course of the season, we have had a whopping 6,067 predictions from our 152 competitors. That means, on average, for every game I've processed 112 predictions...

There was no late drama in the race to be crowned prediction league champion as nobody gained enough points to overtake Douglas Trendle. They have been leading the pack for five games, but have been in the top three for 12 games.

As was the case last year, there are small prizes on offer for:

• The top three
• The wooden spoon award for the least successful continuous predictor (lowest points tally after 50 games plus)
• The 'if only I hadn't missed those games' award for the predictor outside the top 10 with the highest points per game average (minimum 25 matches)

The top three are Douglas Trendle, One F in Hereford and Organic. Just 3.5 points separated the top two, with Organic 19.5 points off the summit.

Vern Robert picks up the wooden spoon award for being the least successful continuous predictor (lowest points tally after 50 games plus). They finished 109th with 73.5 points from 54 games.

BullsAlive gets the 'if only I hadn't missed those games' award as the predictor outside the top 10 with the highest points per game average (minimum 25 matches). They finished the season 14th with 165.5 points from 47 games - an average of 3.52 points per match they played. Had they carried that PPG for the seven matches they missed, they would have been fourth.

I will be in touch to arrange your small prizes.

So there you have it, the end of the season and the end of this Bulls News Prediction League.

A quick thank you to all of you for taking part this season and hopefully it's been enjoyable (especially given rivalries with family and friends!).

See the final table here.

First Half Pictures Hereford v Peterborough Sports

A selection of pictures from the first half of this afternoon's game at Edgar Street.

 

Aaron Skinner

 

Aaron Skinner was presented with several awards after today's game but maybe this statue says it all.

Pell rallies Bulls to push on after nightmare season

Harry Pell

Hereford's assistant manager Harry Pell, who has signed a two-year contract extension with Aaron Downes, has said the players gave everything as they avoided relegation on the final day of the season by the skin of their teeth.

The Bulls surrendered their early lead from Aaron Skinner's penalty but a bullet header from Mikey Lane levelled the scores - and Curzon Ashton failing to beat Alfreton meant the Bulls can look forward to their ninth season in National League North.

For Pell, who has repeatedly said he never wanted to be in management but came to Hereford with pal Downes, he said the club now needs to be looking up.

"We're so proud of this whole football club," a drained Pell told Bulls News after the 2-2 draw against Peterborough Sports, saying avoiding relegation was a special feeling that was different to everything he had experienced during his playing career.

"Look how strong this football club can be. Hopefully, we can all smell it, enjoy it, but this club needs to be looking up. We can't be looking down, no chance."

The 34-year-old former midfielder who played more than 460 games, including for Hereford United, also gave credit to the players.

"They've managed their family life, they've managed their work, and they've managed the commitment and what it means to represent a football club of this ilk, in this kind of league, and the pressures that come with that," he said.

"I think the players have been absolutely fantastic and I think each individual is a credit to their family, I must say that.

"I've never done it in my career where I had to play Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday." With a laugh, he added: "I can say it now as an excuse because we're safe.

"They were brilliant. The staff, the hierarchy, have been absolutely superb with us. They've supported us in every way, shape and form that we needed.

"The staff around the building, the grounds, everyone's bought in. I'm just so proud. I never wanted to be in this moment. I'll be honest, I wasn't too sure if I wanted to stay in football, but my god, I don't want to leave it for a very long time."

Thanking the club for the opportunity now, and putting him on the map during his two years in the early 2010s, he said he knew there was obstacles in the way of retaining their step two status when walking in in February.

From the backlog of fixtures and pitch problems leaving the Bulls temporarily homeless, the Bulls had 21 league games left, were 23rd in the table and 11 points from safety. After bagging 20th place, even midfield Lawson D'Ath posted on social media dubbing the season "crap".

Pell added: "If you inherit a squad that has been losing games, it's going to be tough, but I'll be completely honest with you, I always had faith in my mate, the gaffer.

"This was his dream and he's worked so hard to get to this opportunity. He's been ready for a long time.

"He's waited in the wings and the moment he applied for this football job, I told him how powerful this club could be.

"We've seen it today and my family, his family, are blown away by the support that this football club gets at this level. Going forward, I'd like to think this is a building block for for the future for whatever may happen."

Downes and Pell have been tremendous - now they need to recruit well

Harry Pell and Aaron Downes after Hereford avoided relegation

Hereford's management duo of Aaron Downes and Harry Pell have got to hit the ground running this summer with their recruitment.

That's according to one of the club directors, who said last summer the recruitment was poor and he doesn't want to see a repeat of it.

Hereford have had a torrid season, including the slow start to the season and postponements from Edgar Street pitch problems, leaving them with a mountain to climb.

Commercial director George Webb hopes that coming so close to relegation, only avoiding it by goal difference after Curzon Ashton failed to beat Alfreton, will be the "kick up the bum" the club needs.

Now Webb is focused on a good summer, including good recruitment and the board putting as much money in the playing budget as they can.

Webb said: "Let's have a good summer. Let's get the pitch done.

"But let's recruit well. We've got a great fan base. Let's have a real go next year, and I think it might be a bit of a turning point today, a bit of a kick up the bum for us, as well.

"It's just relief at the moment. We're still in the league.

"It would have been a disaster if we'd have gone down, if I'm being honest. Not just financially, which it would have been a disaster if we'd have gone down financially, but it would have lost our momentum, and it would have been hard to come back."

Speaking before the two-year contract extensions for Aaron Downes and his assistant Harry Pell were announced, Webb added when asked about lessons the board will learn from the season: "I think there's probably a lot of things that went wrong, if I'm being honest.

"I think the recruitment last summer was poor. We went into a the season where we had a few panic signings.

"We didn't really get going, it's all about recruitment in that close season. You've got to go into the season with some sort of settled side, and we didn't. We got behind the curveball.

"We just made it difficult for ourselves. I think the big lesson is to make sure that whoever's manager, that he works hard on his recruitment."

On the impact of Downes and Pell since joining the club in February, Webb said they had done a "tremendous job", clawing their way back after being 11 points from safety.

He said: "They made some great recruitment signings as soon as they came in from day one. I'll go back to those two wins at Worcester, I think that's been pivotal.

"It's been proven to be pivotal for us. They've made great signings, they've bought into the club, they bought into what the fans are about.

"It's all about being a team and we've got to be a team on the pitch, off the pitch."

He added: "We've got to actually realise that we are a big club, and start not training ourselves as the underdog, and I think that's what they've done."

Match report: Hereford pull off great escape... by the skin of their teeth

Lane headed home the equaliser

Hereford have pulled off a great escape, but only just, as they drew 2-2 with Peterborough Sports 

There was a carnival atmosphere at Edgar Street as the Bulls went into the game knowing a win would be enough - but they found themselves 2-1 down at half-time. Despite  Aaron Skinner scoring a penalty in front of a packed Meadow End in the eighth minute, goals for Dan Jarvis and Max Booth before the break saw the relegated visitors have the advantage.

But substitute Mikey Lane - replacing Andy Williams in what was his final game as a footballer - headed home an equaliser eight minutes from full time, having earlier missed a sitter.

Despite a premature pitch invasion after a late goal for Curzon Ashton saw them just one goal away from relegating Hereford, the full-time whistle went at the Impact Arena and the Bulls could finally celebrate safety after the worst season since 2014.

With just one change going into the crunch final day tie, Lawson D’Ath made way for Keziah Martin, who had a big impact on the game when he came on in midweek’s 2-1 win over Marine.

Playing down the slope towards the Meadow End in the first half, as has been the case in recent weeks, the Bulls started the encounter strongly as they threatened from an early corner. Despite Matt Preston getting a good connection on Martin’s inswinger from the right, the ball glanced the outer side of the upright, as the referee spotted a Kyle Howkins foul elsewhere in the 18-yard box.

Keeping the early pressure up, the Bulls launched a spirited attack as Williams, George Munday and Harry Tustin all combined well, with the latter hacked down as he tried to turn the loose ball towards goal. 

Despite every effort to put Skinner off, he placed the ball on the spot. 

And with more than 4,400 fans watching on expectantly, repeated Tuesday night’s routine and planted the ball firmly in the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Buoyed by the early goal, Hereford continued throwing bodies forward and just three minutes later, Preston played a nice one-two with Munday on the edge of the box, but couldn’t control his shot from 15-yards as keeper Mackenzie Chapman watched it wide of his goal.

While Freddy Willcox blocked a vicious Sam McLintock effort, Hereford continued to push as Howkins threatened with a headed effort from a corner and Tustin forced Chapman into a save to deny his low strike.

With another Sports chance in the 20th minute as the Bulls were caught napping, allowing Connor Wood to get a shot a way, albeit wide, Aaron Downes’s side was at risk of being punished for not taking their chances. After Willo glanced a header from a Skinner cross wide, Sports grew into the game and started to test the Bulls’ defence with more regularity.

Theo Richardson was well-placed to save McLintock’s forceful 25-yard strike, before punching clear a booth cross ahead of the lurking forwards, but then the equaliser came. A simple corner routine in the 39th minute proved Hereford’s downfall, as Jarvis squeezed the ball home at the far post from Maliq Cadogan’s delivery.

Four minutes later and the Bulls had surrendered their early lead, unable to stop a surging counterattack where Cadogan crossed into the far post for Booth to volley home. As captain Lewis Hudson stopped Booth having a shot on goal, Cadogan could’ve made it three in the fourth minute of first half stoppage time, though after getting the better of right-back Skinner, he curled his shot wide.

Munday With A Chance But The Defender Does Enough

Half time: Hereford 1 - Peterborough Sports 2

Having come out the blocks strongly, Hereford were under the cosh by the end of the first period - but with Alfreton 3-0 up, they knew a draw would probably be enough to ensure their safety.

Weathering the storm in the opening five minutes as Peterborough continued to dominate possession, Hereford started to grow in confidence again. No penalty was given after Daly was clipped in the box, and then Willcox saw his 25-yard strike agonisingly curl wide of the upright. Desperate for an equaliser, Munday saw an effort sail wide after being teed-up by Willcox, before seeing another shot blocked. 

Downes was then forced into a change as Preston went off with a head injury after colliding with Howkins as the pair challenged to meet Martin’s free-kick from near the corner flag on the left, with Keenen Quansah drafted in. 

A second change followed as Willo left the pitch for the final time,

to make way for Lane, and within six minutes had the perfect chance. A superb run from the hard-working Willcox, slipping in Lane who somehow slotted the ball wide from point-blank range with just the keeper to beat.

With Hereford in the relegation zone, nerves started to take over in the stands and with Peterborough defending heavily, it started to look as the Bulls might rue Lane missing his sitter… but he made no mistake in the 82nd minute. As Daly danced his way from left to right on the edge of the box, he was dispossessed in the area - only for Skinner to refuse to let the ball die. 

The player of the season won possession back and delivered a perfect cross in to the Fleetwood youngster, heading firmly past Chapman and sending the home side into raptures.

With Curzon now back at 3-2 at Alfreton, the Bulls really wanted a winner to be comfortable - though that proved hard work as 6’6” centre-back Kevin Joshua headed over Richardson’s goal. Despite the seven minutes of injury time, Hereford couldn’t find a winner, and when the final whistle went, fans were split. Half invaded the pitch prematurely, seemingly unaware that Curzon were now level and another goal would relegated Hereford, but when news rang around Edgar Street of the full-time whistle in Derbyshire there was celebration but most of all relief.

Full time: Hereford 2 - Peterborough Sports 2

Attendance: 4,459 (48 away)

Sponsors man of the match: Cormac Daly

All in all, it’s a season to forget for Hereford. From woeful recruitment leading to a slow start to the campaign last summer, to pitch problems leaving them with a backlog of games and 11 points from safety, it is by far the most disappointing season since the club reformed.

But since Downes and his assistant Harry Pell arrived in February, there has been more hope than ever. Despite losing seven games straight, the Bulls refused to give up and took their survival fight to the final day. It could have been sorted weeks earlier, and a win would have made it more comfortable, but the Bulls finish out of the drop zone and that’s enough for me.

Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Hudson, Preston (Quansah 64), Williams (Lane 66), Munday, Daly (James 87), Martin, Willcox, Tustin, Howkins.

Subs: Lewis, D'Ath, Oppong, Hamilton.

Peterborough Sports: Chapman, Fryatt, Jones, Jarvis, Booth, McLintock, Kamga, Miller, Oakley, Cadogan, Wood

Subs: Jeffers, Gash, Joshua, Coulthirst, Beresford