Hereford United maintained their tradition of taking points off Gloucestershire neighbours Cheltenham Town in a game that finished with a goal each this afternoon. Delroy Facey opened the scoring in the first half only for Kaid Mohamed to level after the break.
With most of the '72 Giantkillers watching from C Block, The Bulls started with Tom Barkhuizen in place of Arquin and Bruno Dalibard returning to left back in place of Rob Purdie who moved into the midfield spot vacated by the injured Harry Pell.
The match started brightly with McGlashan convincing referee Roger East that Barkhuizen had actually touched him as he theatrically collapsed to the ground on the far edge of the box. Garbutt's free kick evaded everyone as the ball went through for a goal kick. A throw on the Bulls' right was flicked on by Facey into the path of Featherstone but the midfielder's shot was deflected for a corner. Next, Colbeck put in Evans and, again, his effort was blocked away. Then, in the twelve minute, The Bulls took the lead.
Will Evans played a cross-field ball to Dalibard and his deep cross found Facey in space to head home with former Bull Keith Lowe hopelessly out of position.
Evans then went on a driving run into the box but his shot was cleared at the expense of another corner from which Featherstone's shot was hacked off the line. When the visitors countered, Spencer showed his unpleasant side with a nasty elbow into the face of Ryan Green. The striker’s claim of accidental contact and the offer of a handshake proved somewhat hollow as he was seen to repeat the offence on at least two other occasions during the game.
The impressive Facey played Colbeck in but the winger's driven cross just evaded the onrushing Barkhuizen before Spencer "accidentally" caught Purdie in the face with his forearm prompting the referee to "have a word". As a Cheltenham attack was cleared up-field, Dalibard fell to the ground clutching his leg and had to be replaced by Sam Clucas in the full-back role on 24 minutes. McGlashan's cross went behind before the same player predictably went to ground to win a free-kick after managing several paces before realising that he'd lost possession. Barkhuizen then broke free on the right avoiding a scything challenge from Bennett but his cross was cleared with a desperate last-ditch hoof away. Spencer then completed his hat-trick of "accidental" elbows when he caught Purkiss on the jaw with a straight right but, again, the referee chose to ignore the assault. Colbeck sent in a searching cross, which Keith Lowe met with a power header into the Meadowend only for Mr East to award a goal kick to the visitors. Colbeck swapped sides and turned defender to outpace McGlashan to the ball only for the trickster to run into his back and throw himself to the ground convincing the ref that he’d been fouled. Understandably, the home crowd spent the rest of the game giving him plenty of verbal for his antics.
HT Bulls 1 Cheltenham 0
Mark Yeates sent his team out early for the second period and it was the Robins who took the initiative from the restart. Pantomime villain, McGlashan, got past Clucas and delivered a cross, which Mohamed headed in from 6 yards. Buoyed by their success, Cheltenham pressed forward and a series of four corners kept the Bulls on the back foot before Barkhuizen forced a flag-kick at the other end. Colbeck got a cross in from the left but it was over-hit and drifted out for a throw on the far side. Then, on the hour mark, Facey was surprisingly withdrawn and replaced with newcomer Lyle Taylor. The Bournemouth loanee looked a little lost initially but burst into life when given a chance to break into the box only for his near-post shot to be turned away for a corner by ‘keeper Brown.
Home supporters vented their frustration at the referee's increasing tendency to award petty free kicks to the visitors with ironic cheers greeting the occasional decision in favour of the home team. Simon Clist was introduced with about fifteen minutes remaining in place of the tiring Featherstone in an attempt to stem the building pressure from the Robins. With The Bulls penned in their own half, Cheltenham launched waves of attacks that tested the home defence to the full with Purkiss clearing off the line and Towner getting in several solid clearance headers.
However, despite the continued pressure from the Robins, it was Barkhuizen who almost clinched the win when he outpaced the Cheltenham rearguard to a Ryan Green through ball only to see his dinked shot slide beyond the far post with the keeper beaten.
FT Bulls 1 Cheltenham 1
Hereford: Bartlett, Purkiss, Green, Townsend, Dalibard (Clucas 24), Colbeck, Evans, Purdie, Featherstone (Clist 73), Barkhuizen, Facey (Taylor 60). Subs not used: Cornell, Arquin.
Cheltenham: Brown, Jombati, Bennett, Lowe, Garbutt, McGlashan (Smikle 86), Summerfield, Pack, Mohamed, Duffy (Goulding 83), Spencer (Low 90). Subs not used: Hooman, Penn.
Attendance: 2,607 (including 718 from Cheltenham).
While The Bulls had produced an improved performance in the first half, the second period saw them struggle to retain possession particularly after Facey left the field of play. His replacement, Lyle Taylor showed a few nice touches but also seemed a bit short of the strength and guile required for a League 2 battle. The back line generally put in a decent shift although Clucas will be a bit disappointed to have given space and time to McGlashan for the cross for the equaliser.
Rob Purdie with Ryan Green looking on - both were choosen as man of the match. Pictures taken by Andy Compton of the Hereford Journal/Shropshire Newspapers
Delroy Facey was probably heading for a man of the match award before his withdrawal while the midfield mainly did their jobs well with Rob Purdie providing the few moments of quality.
Delroy Facey was probably heading for a man of the match award before his withdrawal while the midfield mainly did their jobs well with Rob Purdie providing the few moments of quality.
See you in Aldershot on Tuesday.