Foxes continue title push was the headline on BN after Leicester City defeated Hereford United 3-1 at Edgar Street seven years ago this weekend. Leicester were promoted that season but Hereford dropped back to division two.
How times change, Leicester are top of the Premier League with a ten point lead over Spurs and Hereford, whilst playing at a much lower level, are currently top of their league.
Interestingly more Hereford supporters watched yesterday's 4-1 win over Brocton than the game against Leicester.
Here's a look back at the game between the clubs played on Saturday April 11th 2009.
Leicester
City continued their push for the title with a 3-1 victory at Edgar
Street this afternoon against Hereford United. The Foxes had to come
from behind though as Steve Guinan scored from the penalty spot in the
first-half but Matt Oakley's powerful free-kick levelled the scores up
before the break. Lloyd Dyer put the visitors in front after a defensive
mix-up before Steve Howard finished proceedings with a tap in. 4,389
supporters were present with 1,924 making the journey from Leicester.
The
Bulls kept the same side as the one that started against Brighton and
Hove Albion in mid-week despite the defeat. The visitors included a
number of players with Premiership experience and other up and coming
prospects. Jack Hobbs started in central defence and will be known to
Hereford 'keeper Peter Gulacsi as both are on loan from Liverpool. The
Foxes also included winger Dyer in their starting eleven; the pacey
former MK Dons man has always been a major threat when playing against
United and a foul on him last season saw Guinan sent off when the Dons
visited Edgar Street.
The
visitors started well in the sunshine with some good passing football
and Andy King's header from an Oakley corner was their first
opportunity. Soon after, they forced a good save from Gulacsi after a
long ball had been flicked on to Dyer who showed neat feet to create a
shooting chance for himself but his left-foot shot was pushed around the
post by the Hungarian 'keeper. Toumani Diagouraga had a powerful effort
blocked after a lay-off by Guinan before Hereford took the lead on the
half-hour mark. A pass from Febian Brandy allowed Jennison
Myrie-Williams the chance to run at the Leicester left-back and inside
the area, Joe Mattock bought the Bristol City loanee down. A penalty was
awarded and Guinan took charge, despite his mid-week misery from the
same spot in front of the Blackfriars End. Yet despite the efforts of
the away support to put Guinan off, he stepped up and fired into the top
right hand corner to give Hereford the lead.
This
lead though was shortlived as just five minutes later, the visitors
were back on level terms. Karl Broadhurst attempted to let the ball run
out of play with Matty Fryatt hot on his tail but conceded a soft
free-kick in doing so. From a position just left of the penalty area,
Oakley fired in a free-kick with pace and precision and it flew directly
into the far top corner to make it 1-1. The first-half petered out with
little incident although Guinan should have done better with an early
left-foot shot which dragged wide, after a Diagouraga header had
released him 25 yards out.
The
second-half began with a series of half-chances at either end; King
screwed a shot past the post after a decent chest control whilst a break
from Marc Pugh saw him beat two before a long-range right-foot effort
went wide despite the opportunity to play in Brandy. Dyer did well to
shift on to his left-foot under pressure from 20 yards but failed to hit
the target whilst King beat Ben Smith inside the area but could only
hit the side netting with a drilled left-foot shot. At the other end,
some good football by Hereford led to a pass into Guinan's feet but he
could only shoot tamely at David Stockdale; it looked as though Guinan
took the ball off Pugh's feet who was in a much better position to
strike.
Nigel
Pearson opted to bring on Maxi Gradel for Bruno Berner to freshen up
their attack but it was Hereford who looked most threatening, with the
crowd enjoying the possession that Hereford were having. Guinan nearly
scored his second after controlling a Kris Taylor cross and an audacious
overhead kick fell just a foot or two over Stockdale's cross-bar. City
perhaps should have been awarded a penalty when Richard Jackson dived
into a challenge and appeared to catch King inside the box, but the
referee saw it differently, dishing out a yellow card for the Leicester
midfielder. Soon after though, Jackson was involved again as Leicester
took the lead.
Myrie-Williams
failed to run into the space in front of him and played a pass back to
Jackson who tried to let it run back to Gulacsi but the Hungarian was
pressured by Dyer who blocked a clearence. The ball looped up into the
air and Gulacsi punched under pressure before Howard lifted a shot over
the 'keeper which Jackson headed onto the bar before Dyer followed up to
smash in from close-range. The visitors' tails were up and a 1-2
between King and Dyer saw the central midfielder force Gulacsi into a
low save at his near-post before Brandy was replaced by Simon Johnson. A
neat turn inside the box saw Fryatt wriggle his way past Broadhurst
before Gulacsi blocked his shot with his legs.
Veteran
bit/part striker Paul Dickov replaced Fryatt late on before Leicester
added a third which settled the encounter. A switch of play from left to
right was bought down by Gradel who flicked the ball past the challenge
of Taylor and raced away from the former Walsall man before running
into the box and drawing in a challenge from Gulacsi; just as the
Hungarian 'keeper was at his feet, Gradel pulled back to Howard who
simply tapped in from six yards. In the closing stages, Guinan dragged a
shot wide from 25 yards whilst he went closer after a one-two with
Johnson set him free and he shrugged off a challenge from Michael
Morrison to force Stockdale into a strong save from an acute angle. In
stoppage time, Pearson ran down the clock by replacing Dyer with Astrit
Ajdaveric.
Leicester
are favourites for the title now after Peterborough slipped up
yesterday against Cheltenham and looked a strong unit although Hereford
gave them a good test. There was more 'carpet' football played by
Hereford today but as has been the case throughout the season, a lack of
end product in the final third. In particular, Smith looked good in
midfield with more freedom to create but the defensive mix-up leading to
the second goal was calamitous to say the least. Next up for Hereford
is a trip to Tranmere on Monday; last season United drew 2-2 at Prenton
Park with the goals coming from a stunning volley from Smith and a
powerful finish by Trevor Benjamin.
Hereford: Gulacsi, Jackson, Broadhurst, Rose, Taylor, Myrie-Williams, Diagouraga, Smith, Pugh, Guinan, Brandy.
Subs: Veiga, Gwynne, O'Leary, Done, Johnson.
Leicester: Stockdale, Morrison, Hobbs, Brown, Mattock, Oakley, Berner, King, Dyer, Howard, Fryatt.
Subs: Warner, Kisnorbo, Gradel, Ajdarevic, Dickov.