Absolute Bullocks
Hereford United were well beaten by Burton Albion at Eton Park this afternoon. The Bulls succombed to a 3-0 defeat in a game where they got exactly what they deserved - absolutely nothing. Burton, who were seventeenth at the start of the day, did not play superbly themselves but still managed to win by a good margin.
Graham Turner made changes to the side that were defeated on New Years day by Exeter with Ryan Green starting in place of the injured Rob Purdie. Danny Williams and Lee Mills were both surprise inclusions on the subs bench having recovered from injury but Andy Tretton was missing due to a back strain.
Burton started the better of the two sides when former Sheffield Wednesday pair Mark Robins and Jon Shaw combined in the attack with Robins shooting just wide on the half volley. David Brown fired just wide from outside of the box almost immediately after for the Bulls. With just under twenty minutes on the clock Albion took the lead through Kris Taylor. Mark Robins held up the ball well and played it out wide to Aaron Webster who delivered a left footed cross. Taylor seemed to have all the time in the world to chest the ball down and place a shot beyond the reach of Craig Mawson and into the far corner.
Burton could have doubled their advantage two minutes later when Mark Robinson tripped Andrew Corbett and was booked. Taylor delivered the free kick for Barry Miller whose shot was just the wrong side of the upright. At the other end Ryan Green went close following a good move by Hereford but Green directed Craig Stanley's cross just beyond the far post. Stanley went close from a driven free kick that was deflected just wide and Robins headed Taylor's cross wide at the other end before half time.
Changes were needed in the Hereford side and Graham Turner acted accordingly by replacing Graham Hyde and Brown with Williams and Mills at the break. United started the half brightly, with Williams impressing but they were dealt a huge blow with just four minutes of the half gone. A cross from the right bounced against Tamika Mkandawire and the referee gave a penalty for handball. Craig Dudley took the kick which appeared to go under Mawson, who had dived the correct way.
Mills shot inches wide of the upright after Williams' free kick wasn't cleared properly by Darren Stride. However, United had James to thank for preventing a third when a clearance from Danny Crane in the Burton goal went over everyone and when Shaw lifted the ball over Mawson it was good positioning by James to clear. Stanley blasted a shot wide before he forced the best save of the game out of Crane. Simon Travis played a pass into Mills, who flicked on into the path of Stanley just inside the area, but his curling effort was superbly tipped past the post by the diving Crane.
Mark Robinson was sacrificed for Danny Carey-Bertram as Hereford switched to a 4-3-3 formation to try and salvage a point from the game but a second penalty was awarded when James tripped Shaw in the box. Shaw got up and sent Mawson the wrong way from the spot to seal the three points for Albion. From then on Burton played out the game, surviving the measely pressure they were put under by the away side and they could have had a fourth but for good 'keeping. Taylor skinned two or three defenders on a mazy run into the area but he was denied by Mawson who saved well.
The 391 away fans in a crowd of 1580 were not happy with the performance or the effort of some of the players and many left well before the end of the game. New faces are needed in the side which needs to up its game enormously if they want to make anything of the season.
HUFC Team: Mawson, Travis, Mkandawire, James, Robinson, Stanley, Green, Pitman, Hyde, Brown, Stansfield. Subs: Smith, Scott, Williams, Mills, Carey-Bertram.
BAFC Team: Crane, Corbett, Miller, Austin, Webster,Dudley, Stride, Kris Taylor, Hall ,Robins, Shaw. Subs: Simpkins , Kirkwood, Ducros , Shilton, Robinson