.png)
Bulls capitalise as Bees slip up
Barnet finally slipped up against Tamworth at Underhill as Hereford United managed to close the gap between themselves and the leaders with a 1-0 home victory against Gravesend and Northfleet. The Bees were reduced to ten men after twenty two minutes and succumbed to a 3-0 defeat, only their second loss of the season. Hereford shaded their encounter with Gravesend, just, and scored after seventy three minutes through Jamie Pitman
Graham Turner had Lee Mills on the sidelines with an ankle injury so David Brown deputised in the only change to the starting line up. Andy Williams was named on the subs bench as was Ryan Green, who has now recovered from a hamstring injury. Ex Hereford United attacker Nick Harrhy was named amongst the Gravesend's subs.
The first half, which was a poor one by United's standards, was fairly uneventful and rarely excited the pre-Christmas crowd of 2,416. The impressive Adam Drury swung a cross that travelled across the face of the goal and was an inch or so from connecting with Chris Moore's outstretched foot at the far post. A similar effort by Adam Stansfield in United's first real attack of the game saw the ex Yeovil striker flick the ball just wide. Roy Essandoh headed against the post for Gravesend following a cross from the right as Gravesend looked the more likely to break the deadlock.
Stansfield perhaps should have done better when Hyde found him with a pass beyond the defence but Stansfield lifted the ball just over the bar when through on goal. Mark Robinson's free kick was met by a towering header by Tamika Mkandawire but the ball flew just over. Drury then set up his team mate Jay Saunders but his effort was wide as the half came to a close.
Drury, by far the visitors most dangerous player, troubled Craig Mawson soon after the restart with a drive from twenty five yards that required the 'keeper to tip the ball over. Mkandwire should have done better with a second headed effort, this time he was free in the box following Pitman's chipped free kick. Goalkeeper James Pullen caught the effort at the second attempt. Rob Purdie then set Pitman away on the right and he ran on down the flank before firing in a cross-cum-shot that dropped onto the top of the bar. Craig Stanley received the ball just inside the box after good passing by and Stansfield but his deflected effort fell an inch the wrong side of the post.
At the other end, in a rare attack, Craig McAlister got goalside of the defence and looked set to get a shot away but Simon Travis made a crucial tackle. McAlister got into a good position again a minute later, but this time Robinson made a brilliant block as the striker shot. With this spell, Graham Turner saw the need for change and made a double substitution, that arguably changed the game. The ineffective Purdie was replaced by Green on the right and Brown was sacrificed for Danny Carey-Bertram. Carey-Bertram was immediatly involved when he latched onto a Mkandawire clearance, taking the ball in his stride with a brilliant touch, but his powerful effort when one on one hit the 'keeper and clipped the upright.
United's next attack resulted in the only goal of the game, and it was a deserved one as the Bulls began to dominate. Travis found Stansfield in the middle of the park and he set away on a run, skinning his marker and crossing, from the right, to the far post where the onrushing Pitman had the simple task of tapping the ball over the line.
Robinson then set Stansfield in on goal again with a good pass from the left, but he could not beat Pullen, who diverted the shot out for a corner with his legs. Green then split the defence with a neat left footed ball for Carey-Bertram to run onto but the young attacker got to the edge of the box and then overhit a cross. Green, who impressed after a spell out with injury, crossed for Stansfield who somehow managed to flick the ball towards the bottom corner with his back to goal, forcing a save out of the goalie and winning a coner for United.
Travis was fortunantly placed to touch a cross from the right out for a corner with two opponents ready to pounce. Soon after, the thirty six away supporters did see their side get the ball in Hereford's goal, but Essandoh's far post header supplied by a cross from sub Moussa Sidebe was ruled offside by the assistant. Carey-Bertram should have wrapped the game up in injury time when Green cut the ball back to Stanley, who played the ball to his left where the youngster was placed just six yards out, but he managed to fire high over the bar when unmarked.
The Bulls shaded the game, but only just though, and the result could well have gone either way. Hereford kept another clean sheet, which is an area that the manager has made it clear he wanted to improve in so the result will please Turner greatly. The win, which sees the Whites close the gap at the top and move up one place in the table, sets them up nicely for the Christmas period that sees three outings in six days for Hereford.
HUFC Team: Mawson, Travis, James, Mkandawire, Robinson, Purdie, Hyde, Pitman, Stanley, Brown, Stansfield. Subs: Tretton, Green, Scott, Carey-Bertram, A Williams.
GNFC: Pullen, McArthy, Moore, Lovell, Drury, McKimm, Saunders, Jackson, Gledhill, Essandoh, McAlister. Subs: Wilkerson, Protheroe, Pinnock, Harrhy, Sidebe.