The fans were out in numbers for this sunny Easter weekend fixture that saw Hereford United play host to Swidon Town, a side considered local rivals, who started the day in third position in the league with promotion hopes very much alive. When the two sides met earlier in the season at the County Ground Hereford came away 2-1 victors, and so Paul Sturrock's side were out for revenge.
They first tried to upset The Bulls by switching ends from the start, meaning United were playing towards the Meadow End for the first forty five but this had little effect as Hereford, with an unchanged starting eleven, excelled and all but dominated the opening half. Early on Tamika Mkandawire forced Paul Smith in the Swindon goal in to a top save as he headed a Danny Thomas cross from the right towards the bottom corner. The resulting set play fell to Andy Williams and he tried an over head kick, which was wide of the mark.
United continued to pin Town back in their own half and a well worked throw in almost broke the deadlock. Steve Guinan turned well and crossed for strike partner Alan Connell, who did well to get away a low volley but Smith grabbed hold of it. Swindon had a rare attempt at the Hereford goal midway through the half as Barry Corr headed against the post and wide at the back stick from a corner but United were soon back on the attack with Connell, who fired over with an opportunist strike. The chance of the half, and probably the game, fell to Williams late in the half but he eventually fired just inches wide. Connell had lifted the ball on for him and Williams had passed both centre backs before sliding his shot past Smith, who came out to meet him.
Hereford continued to build the pressure before the break, and Simon Travis' looped cross needed to be tipped over by a busy Smith in the goal, and Guinan's header from the resulting corner was headed off the goal line. The second half was a different story though, as Swindon started to show a little more why they're where they are in the league, but The Bulls backline stood strong after a quiet first half. Swindon had come into the game more, but were by no means over running United as they proved their worth but it was Town who were carrying the attacking threat.
Dean Beckwith, who had an otherwise impressive game, gifted possession to his opponents but Rob Purdie tracked back to prevent the immediate danger. A cross did arrive from the right though, and Wayne Brown had to be alert to deny Michael Pook from the edge of the area. A ball was played over the top of the defence for substitute Michael Timlin however Travis was back to stop the danger, but conceeded a corner in doing so. Town continued to push more men forward and Mkandawire got a vital touch with his head on Jack Smith's cross, which was destined for Corr at the back post.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock Graham Turner decided to freshen things up by introducing an all new strike force of Tim Sills and debutant Marcus Palmer in place of Connell and Guinan, but things didn't go quite to plan. Just four minutes after his introduction the ex-Oxford striker Sills pointed to his name on his shirt having been on the receiving end of a chant from the large Swindon crowd of 1,756. The ref, who had a good game, booked him for this and when Sills argued back a second yellow was dished out and Sills received his marching orders. Not all bad for The Whites though - Sills is now banned for at least one game!
Swindon though couldn't make their numerical advantage count and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. Hereford will be happy with the point against the high flyers and, as against MK Dons last week, will have plenty of positives to take from the game. Some close attention needs to be paid to the striking department though, as now Hereford have gone five games without netting. Hopefully that'll change at Walsall on Monday.
HUFC: Brown, Travis, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Purdie, Thomas, Smith, Webb, Williams, Connell, Guinan. Subs: Rose, Thompson, Jennings, Sills, Palmer.
STFC: P Smith, J Smith, Zaaboub, Vincent, Nicholas, Westwood, Pook, Jutkiewicz, Peacock, Corr, Roberts. Subs: Timlin, Gnapka, Brown, Grimes, Sturrock.