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Bulls gun down the Shots
Hereford United beat Aldershot Town 2-0 this evening at Edgar Street and have now won back to back home games for the first time this season. It is their second home victory in four days and the Bulls will be delighted to have gained some sort of revenge on the side that knocked them out of last seasons play offs.
Graham Turner named an unchanged starting side, but Tamika Mkandawire replaced Andrew Williams on the subs bench. This meant that Lee Mills started his second game in a row and Adam Stansfield was again named on the bench.
United couldn't have wished for a better start and found themselves in front after four minutes. The first chance of the game fell to Danny Williams who found the bottom corner after receiving a pass from Jamie Pitman on the edge of the box.
Hereford, who dominated the first half in most parts, almost doubled their lead when Mills went close with an overhead kick following a well worked free kick when Tony James picked out Andy Tretton with a long pass. Adam Miller forced Johnathan Gould into a save, but the 'keeper had no problems with the twenty-five yard effort. David Brown had the best, and easiest, chance of the game midway through the half. Williams found Mills in the area who crossed for Brown, but somehow he managed to shoot over from two yards out.
Aldershot then had their best period of the half when they won two corners in quick succession, although both were dealt with by Tretton and Tom Smith respectivly. Tim Sills almost equalised for the Shots soon after. Aaron McLean flicked on a long ball but Sills narrowly missed the target with a powerful shot. Jamie Pitman had to be replaced after picking up a knock in a challenge involving McLean. Graham Hyde, who had what was probably his best game in a United shirt, was subbed on.
The Shots started the second half with McClean getting in two crosses from the right, but neither troubled the United defence. Tretton made a crucial intervention denying Sills from getting in on goal as Aldershot put lots of pressure on the Bulls. The Shots, urged on by their 251 supporters, saw plenty of possesion but rarely threatened Gould's goal. Hereford's best form of attack was on the break and they had several counter attacks in the second half. Craig Stanley made a long run from defence and forced a corner which was headed over by Mills. Hyde found Brown in lots of space on the left and the attacker moved in on goal but had his low drive saved when it looked easier to score.
Terry Brown made all three substitutions within a short space of time to try and put more pressure on Hereford. Roscoe D'Sane replaced Nick Critteden, Will Antwi was subbed on for Ray Warburton and Matthew Barnes-Homer replaced Phil Warner as the Shots looked for more attacking options. Sills went close with a header from a corner just after D'Sane shot wide from close range.
Simon Travis made a break down the right and won a corner at the end of it, in the eighty nineth minute. After McAuley had received treatment having collided with Travis after the Hereford man had played the ball, man of the match Williams was allowed to swing in the corner that Mills met at the far post and headed down into the bottom corner to wrap up the victory.
Back to back home victories will delight Graham Turner and the majority of the crowd of 3,647, the highest at Edgar Street this season. The Bulls performed solidly and have now moved up to third in the league, level with Aldershot. United have now won three in a row and will be hoping to continue this good form with a victory at Hilton Road next Saturday, where Leigh RMI are the oppenents.
HUFC Team: Gould, Travis, Tretton, James, Smith, Robinson, Pitman, Stanley, Williams, Brown, Mills. Subs: Mkandawire, Scott, Hyde, Stansfield and Carey-Bertram
ATFC Team: Bull, Warner, Bernard, Giles, Warburton, Miller, Chalinor, Critteden, McAuley, Sills, McLean. Subs: Barnes-Homer, Smith, Johnson, Antwi, D'Sane.