Injury hit Bulls defeated by late winner

Hereford United fell to their first defeat of the season at Alfreton this afternoon.  The hosts opened the scoring through John Akinde but struck back just before the break with a gaol from Chris Sharp.  With a draw looking likely Alfreton grabbed an added time winner when managers son Josh Law nodded home.

McDonald, Pilkington And Rankine (With The Pad) Watched The Game From The Main Stand

With several players already unavailable, Martin Foyle was faced with further disruption when Rod McDonald fell ill on the coach and withdrew from the squad.  Don Collins was a ready-made replacement while Chris Sharp joined loan signing Michael West to start in place of the missing Rankine and Pilkington.  Recalled striker Jake Harris was named on the bench.

Sam Smith flicked Chris Bush’s early forward ball on but the ball ran for a goal kick.  A period of head tennis provided some practice for Don Collins who dealt well with the threats before Dan Bradley sent over a fine cross, which just evaded Akinde at the back post.  Smith won another flick but Sharp was fractionally offside as The Bulls matched Alfreton’s opening attacks. 

Graham dispossessed Akinde at the expense of a corner and from the flag kick a first time shot cannoned off the crossbar.  Michael West showed promise to cut inside but he was quickly closed down by Westwood and the move came to nothing.  Then, on twelve minutes Alfreton took a somewhat fortunate lead. 

Frankie Artus was guilty over over-elaborating when a simple ball out to Bush was available and he lost possession just outside the box.  The ball was moved wide and the cross to the back post was met by a thumping Akinde header that gave Evans no chance.

Walker fired in a driven cross that O’Keefe stabbed wide before a naughty late challenge on Walker by Franklin presented a chance for Chris Bush but his free kick was saved low down by home keeper Atkins.  

Josh O’Keefe was next to be on the receiving end of a robust challenge and fell awkwardly to require lengthy treatment on his arm.  The dangerous Akinde pulled back from the bye-line but Bradley’s effort sailed over the bar.

With O’Keefe clearly in pain, he was replaced just before the half hour by the patched up Rob Purdie.  Law was penalised for a late one on Artus and when Purdie had his legs whipped from under him the referee gleefully waived play on.  A rare period of Bulls’ pressure saw Sharp go close and Purdie release Walker out wide but his cross was over hit and went out for a throw on the far side.  Then with half time beckoning, United got the equaliser.

Chris Sharp Gets His First Goal Of The Season

Chris Bush launched a trademark long throw and when the ball fell to Chris Sharp at the back post he made no mistake from a couple of yards out.

And Wasn't He Pleased

HT Alfreton 1  Bulls 1

With Sharp, Walker, Smith and West all occupying forward positions it was, perhaps, no surprise that the midfield was largely by-passed and also was found wanting when the hosts were in possession.  Two against four, and sometimes five, is hardly odds in our favour.

The Bulls emerged unchanged from the break and Sharpie was slow to react to a through ball.  He was given a second opportunity following a failed clearance but his attempted cross found the first defender and the ball was cleared upfield.  Then a glorious chance went to waste when Smith, at the back post, delayed his shot with the goal gaping.

The short-handed Bulls’ midfield was slow to close down on Law and he was allowed to unchallenged from the edge of the box but Evans was down to collect. 

Sam Gwynne joined the action in place of West on sixty-eight minutes and was soon involved in a neat move down the right resulting in his deep cross being blazed wide by Walker when well placed on the edge of the six yard box.  Jake Harris came on for Sharp with fifteen minutes remaining as The Bulls looked to consolidate a period of better play. 

Frankie Artus did well to wriggle free in the box but his shot was saved before the impressive Leadbitter was crudely checked by Akinde as he burst forward down the right.  The former Torquay fullback was clearly hurt and for some unknown reason was told to leave the field for treatment by the increasingly erratic referee.  Sam Gwynne dropped fullback during his absence and quickly adapted to a job he had done on plenty of previous occasions.

Leadbitter returned following extensive treatment but it was clear for all to see that his mobility was greatly impaired.  Alfeton immediately targeted the wide left and Leadbitter’s injury prevented him clearing upfield.  From the resulting throw, the hosts grabbed an injury time winner.

Alfreton Take The Lead

When the cross came in, Fenton obstructed Graham in his attempt to clear and Law was left to nod in a scrappy goal at the back stick.  With 181 visiting fans it was left to the remainder of the total of 740 to murmur the celebrations.

FT Alfreton 2 Walking Wounded 1

Hereford: Evans, Leadbitter, Graham, Collins, Bush, Walker, Artus, O'Keefe (Purdie 27), West (Gwynne 70), Sharp (Harris 74), Smith. Unused: Lloyd-Weston, Brown.

Alfreton: Atkins, Wood, Westwood, Fenton, Franklin, Law, Bradley, McGrath, Meadows, Wishart (Clayton 80), Akinde. Unused: Wylde, Kempson, Shaw, Taylor.

Frankly, Hereford deserved little from this match but the two Alfreton goals were both avoidable.  The first down to Artus failure to play a simple ball and the second, it has to be said, the management’s failure to properly address the Leadbitter injury situation.  Sam Gwynne should have continued in the fullback role with the limping Leadbitter safely out of harms way on the wing.  If Fred Potter can play out there when he’s injured so can Danny Leadbitter.

Lessons to be learned and with Johnny Evans’ treatment table stacked several deep it looks like Michael West won’t be the only loan player come next weekend.

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