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Bulls keep Bees in touch
Hereford United earnt a credible draw with league leaders Barnet at Edgar Street this afternoon. A goal apiece in the first ten minutes saw the points shared in an entertaining game. Barnet kept their unbeaten away record in the Conference this season and Hereford have now made it eight home games without defeat.
Graham Turner kept the faith with the side that started against Doncaster Rovers in midweek, but Lee Mills was absent with a stomach bug. Danny Carey-Bertram took his place on the subs bench. Adam Stansfield was fit enough to start up front with David Brown after it was thought that he would be out following Tuesday night's match in which he limped off in.
Ian Hendon delivered the first cross of the game that Nicky Bailey headed over the bar as Barnet started the brighter. In only the fifth minute the Bees, cheered on by their following of 331 had taken the lead. A route one pass from the back found top scorer Giuliano Grazioli who out muscled Tony James and struck the ball on the bounce across Craig Mawson and into the top corner.
United needed an instant reply, and that was just what they got. Three minutes later Rob Purdie found Graham Hyde in the middle, after some good work on the left flank. Hyde lifted the ball over the defence for Brown to run onto. He beat the advancing 'keeper, who was slightly hesistant, lifted the ball over him and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net. Hereford took the initiative from then on, and went on to dominate the first half. Hyde played Stansfield through but his shot from the edge of the box was wide of the far post.
Purdie combined with Brown in a Hereford counter attack, but Purdie's shot that he had lifted Scott Tynan in the goal fell just wide of the far post. Dwaine Lee caused some problems in the Hereford box with a twenty five yard effort that was parried away by Mawson, but Tamika Mkandawire was on hand to clear. Lee was booked soon after for a late challenge. Simon Travis' long throw in created a superb opening for Stansfield. Brown helped the ball onto the far post where it fell to Stansfield, who stretched, but couldn't get enough on it and the ball went inches wide.
Bailey's twenty yard effort was caught easily by Mawson before Brown split the Bees defence with a through ball to Stansfield. The ex-Yeovil attacker couldn't get the ball from under his feet though, and when he finally got a shot away it was off target. Brown received a pass from Hyde late on in the half on the left that he took in his stride and cut inside towards goal. His effort from the edge of the box took a slight deflection and skimmed the outside of the post.
After a highly entertaining first half it was always going to be hard for the players to keep up the pace in the second ; not suprisingly he game settled down a little in the last fourty five minutes. Barnet came extremely close early in the half following a cross that was hooked in by Dean Sinclair and Grazioli met the cross with his head and beat Mawson. However, Hyde was brilliantly positioned on the goal line to volley clear. Adam Stansfield was replaced by Carey-Bertram after fifty minutes due to injury.
An awesome one handed save by Mawson kept the score level when Ben Strevens hit a cross from the right on the turn, only to see it bounce just the wrong side of the post. Craig Stanley threaded a pass through to the pacey Carey-Bertram who attempted to lift the ball over Tynan, but the 'keeper was able to catch easily. Grazioli went close again when he hit Hendon's cross with his back to goal narrowly wide. Purdie was replaced by Ryan Green with just over twenty minutes to go.
Mark Robinsons free kick was met by man of the match Hyde who was unable to keep his effort down from the edge of the penalty area. Green was at the heart of a quick Hereford attack that saw Carey-Bertram cross just too high for his strike partner Brown in the middle. Carey-Bertram forced a good save from Tynan when he hooked Mkandawire's knock down towards the top corner.
It was the young striker Carey-Bertram who created a great chance for the winner late on. He received the ball twenty yards from goal in a central position, squared the ball out to Danny Williams on the right and made his run towards goal. Williams picked him out and Carey-Bertram turned towards goal and smashed a low effort towards the near corner. He would have been celebrating too, but for a brilliant last ditch block by Ismael Yakubu. Moments later he went close yet again but this time his shot from outside the box was wide.
Hereford had the chances to win the game and probably shaded the game overall. However, Barnet always looked dangerous on the break and United had to be cautious of the Barnet threat when attacking late on. The Bulls can take plenty of positives from the performance; it was a well earned point against a team that look certain for the play offs this season.
HUFC Team: Mawson, Travis, James, Mkandawire, Robinson, Williams, Hyde, Stanley, Purdie, Brown, Stansfield. Subs: Tretton, Green, Scott, Pitman, Carey-Bertram
BFC Team: Tynan, Hendon, Yakubu, King, Clist, Bailey, Lee, Sinclair, Graham, Grazioli, Strevens. Subs: Mullard, Maddix, Batt, Roach, Hatch.