Given the low attendance and general dismay around Edgar Street at present, BN looks back to August Bank Holiday Monday in 2003 and a seven goal thriller against Aldershot.
Bulls
leave bumper crowd elated
Hereford
United 4 - 3 Aldershot Town (August 25th 2003)
When Hereford went
2-0 down on nine minutes, it looked as if Aldershot Town had this
game wrapped up but a series of twists meant Hereford United
emerged 4-3 victors with a late, late goal.
Billed as the first six-pointer of the Nationwide Conference campaign, the game didn't fail to satisfy the bumper crowd of 4,985 at Edgar Street, which is the biggest league attendance since Hereford's relegation to the non-league game in 1997. They also leap-frog today's opponents back to the summit of the league.
It could have gone the other way, though, as Tony James scored the first goal on five minutes - in his own net. A deep cross from the right channel from Nick Roddis fell to James, and his attempted clearance cruely crept past Matt Baker to put the Shots ahead. Four minutes later, Aldershot broke from a United attack and Tim Sills drew Baker out of his area before rounding him and slotting the ball into an empty net.
At that point, the Bulls could have few complaints but they slowly came back into the game and had levelled by the break. First, Ben Smith was brought down just outside the penalty area and Nikki Bull stood no chance in their goal as Danny Williams' fierce free-kick hit the back of the net.
Ben Smith threaded a good ball through the Shots defence to Rob Purdie on thirty-six, but Bull got to it first as United searched for the equaliser, and four minutes later a Paul Parry cross from the Hereford left was nodded inches over by Danny Williams who was just four yards from goal.
However, Purdie fed Michael Rose in injury time, and on the turn his long-range effort levelled proceedings.
Aldershot withdrew goalkeeper Bull at the break for Richard Barnard after an argument in the dressing room, and the replacement brought down Ben Smith three minutes into the second half. Tony James, ready to redeem himself from his earlier own-goal, stepped up but Barnard pushed the ball away to his right. However, he had moved off his line and the referee, Mr. R. Lewis, had no option but to order a retake. This time, James made no mistake as he fired into the roof of the net.
Both Danny Williams and Steve Guinan went close as the game wore on, but Aldershot scored again with twenty-two minutes to gol. Released by a long ball from the left channel, Aaron McLean fired a low shot across Baker's goal and in off the post. The 440 away fans were delighted, and almost saw Roscoe D'Sane put their side ahead when his curling effort from outside the box went wide. Tim Sills also nodded a ball wide from ten yards out after a later cross from the left.
Then, another twist, as D'Sane was dismissed for a second bookable offence for a challenge, which was slammed by irate Shots manager Terry Brown. Nevertheless, they must have felt they had done enough for a point, but it wasn't to be. In the third minute of injury time, a Michael Rose corner from the right was flicked on to find substitute David Brown at the far post. He fired the ball into the net from inside the six yard box to send Hereford top.
Billed as the first six-pointer of the Nationwide Conference campaign, the game didn't fail to satisfy the bumper crowd of 4,985 at Edgar Street, which is the biggest league attendance since Hereford's relegation to the non-league game in 1997. They also leap-frog today's opponents back to the summit of the league.
It could have gone the other way, though, as Tony James scored the first goal on five minutes - in his own net. A deep cross from the right channel from Nick Roddis fell to James, and his attempted clearance cruely crept past Matt Baker to put the Shots ahead. Four minutes later, Aldershot broke from a United attack and Tim Sills drew Baker out of his area before rounding him and slotting the ball into an empty net.
At that point, the Bulls could have few complaints but they slowly came back into the game and had levelled by the break. First, Ben Smith was brought down just outside the penalty area and Nikki Bull stood no chance in their goal as Danny Williams' fierce free-kick hit the back of the net.
Ben Smith threaded a good ball through the Shots defence to Rob Purdie on thirty-six, but Bull got to it first as United searched for the equaliser, and four minutes later a Paul Parry cross from the Hereford left was nodded inches over by Danny Williams who was just four yards from goal.
However, Purdie fed Michael Rose in injury time, and on the turn his long-range effort levelled proceedings.
Aldershot withdrew goalkeeper Bull at the break for Richard Barnard after an argument in the dressing room, and the replacement brought down Ben Smith three minutes into the second half. Tony James, ready to redeem himself from his earlier own-goal, stepped up but Barnard pushed the ball away to his right. However, he had moved off his line and the referee, Mr. R. Lewis, had no option but to order a retake. This time, James made no mistake as he fired into the roof of the net.
Both Danny Williams and Steve Guinan went close as the game wore on, but Aldershot scored again with twenty-two minutes to gol. Released by a long ball from the left channel, Aaron McLean fired a low shot across Baker's goal and in off the post. The 440 away fans were delighted, and almost saw Roscoe D'Sane put their side ahead when his curling effort from outside the box went wide. Tim Sills also nodded a ball wide from ten yards out after a later cross from the left.
Then, another twist, as D'Sane was dismissed for a second bookable offence for a challenge, which was slammed by irate Shots manager Terry Brown. Nevertheless, they must have felt they had done enough for a point, but it wasn't to be. In the third minute of injury time, a Michael Rose corner from the right was flicked on to find substitute David Brown at the far post. He fired the ball into the net from inside the six yard box to send Hereford top.