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Tam sees red as Burton blank Bulls
Hereford United drew for the first time at Edgar Street since Boxing Day last year yesterday afternoon. Burton Albion frustrated United and once Tamika Mkandawire was shown the red card by referee Andy Turner just before half time for a wreckless challenge and it was always going to be an uphill struggle.
Tony James had not completly recovered from a thigh strain and was only named on the subs bench and David Brown was also named on the bench. Adam Stansfield partnered Lee Mills in the attack. Rob Purdie was named as a sub after recovering from a long term injury.
Burton had an obvious game plan from the start. They packed the defence and made it very difficult for the Bulls to break them down. Craig Dudley had Burton's first effort after Craig Stanley had been dispossed, but his shot was wide. Stansfield caused Albion's defence plenty of problems and won a corner after skinning his marker. Danny Williams and Simon Travis worked a short corner and Stansfield should have openend the scoring with a close range header, but it was just wide.
Lee Ayres had a glorious opportunity to give the Brewers the lead but his first effort sent Johnathan Gould down to his right and the ball hit the post. If Ayres had hit the rebound on target to an unguarded goal he would have been celebrating however he sliced the ball wide. Stanley had a shot from the edge of the box blocked and fell kindly to Williams who had a clear view on goal but he managed to strike over. Stanley then tried a speculative long range effort from thirty five yards, but it flew inches wide.
Man of the match Stanley received a corner on the far side of the box and knocked in what looked like a cross but the ball hit the crossbar and went out of play. It was on the stroke of half time when Mkandawire received his marching orders. His challenge may have been a bit needless as it was inside the Burton half, but his foot was high when he caught Andy Ducros. A red card though, seemed a little harsh and was a bit of a surprise as there had previously only been one booking to Albion's Michael Simpkins. Graham Hyde and Mills were both booked for dissent after the foul.
Ayres went close again following a corner from the right with a header that Gould was equal to. Hereford then broke quickly with Travis on the right. He found Stansfield in the box who went down in the area but nothing was given. Ducros went close at the other end soon after, his deflected shot bounced just wide. The resulting corner fell to Dudley who struck a volley at goal and Gould made a wonderful save from point blank range. Hyde was on the post to make a goal line clearance from the second corner and captain Andy Tretton cleared the third corner.
The referee then started to give out cards like it was Christmas. Gould and Robbie Talbot were booked for dissent in the sixty seventh minute and four minutes later Tom Smith was yellow carded for unsporting behaviour. Darren Stride also picked up a caution later on.
David Brown was introduced for Lee Mills in the sixty seventh minute. Andrew Corbett was unlucky to see his powerful fourty yard effort fly just wide of the bottom corner. Stride forced a save out of Gould with a header before the 'keeper made a good low save from Dudley. Stansfield was replaced by Purdie and James came on for Williams. Brown had a good chance to nick a winner for United. He got in between two defenders with a neat touch and hit his shot straight at Daniel Crane in the goal.
Hereford will not be too dissapointed with the draw, it is a point extra than the Bulls took from the Brewers last season. The attendance at Edgar Street was 3,320 including 164 from Burton. Dagenham & Redbridge play hosts to Hereford on Tuesday evening, and will probably be looking for some revenge after the last time United visited Victoria Road.
HUFC Team: Gould, Travis, Tretton, Mkandawire, Smith, Robinson, Hyde, Stanley, Williams, Stansfield, Mills. Subs: James, Purdie, Scott, Carey-Bertram, Brown.
BAFC Team: Crane, Ayres Kirkwood, Webster, Simpkins, Ducros, Dudley, Stride, Hall Talbot, Corbett. Subs: Wilson, Shilton, Wassall, Robinson, Clough.