For today's archive article BN looks back to 31st January 2006 and a home game against Cambridge United.
Interesting to note in the report that Rob Purdie is praised for his performance in mid-field.
Interesting to note in the report that Rob Purdie is praised for his performance in mid-field.
Hereford
United moved into third place in the Nationwide Conference with a 3-0
home victory against Cambridge United this evening. The three points
takes them into third place, but they are level on points with Exeter
who occupy second. United's only change to the side that started against
Grays was in attack, where Danny Carey-Bertram replaced the injured Guy
Ipoua. Andy Williams played alongside Adam Stansfield though, and
Carey-Bertram was on the right-wing.
The opening was a scrappy one, in which both sides enjoyed spells of possession without threatening a lot, although The U's almost took a stunning lead through ex-Bull Jon Brady. The Australian struck the cross bar with a delightful strike from twenty five yards that had beaten Wayne Brown in the Hereford goal. Courtney Pitt had the ball in the net for the visitors but was clearly offside when he headed in while, for Hereford, Carey-Bertram struck a cross from Nicky Nicolau wide at the far post.
It
wasn't until thirty four minutes that United got a strike on goal, but
it was well worth the wait for Stansfield's effort. He collected the
ball some forty yards out, went on to take on three defenders before
firing an unstoppable drive into the far top corner from the edge of the
box for the opening goal. Stansfield again went close minutes later
when he tackled the last man, Tommy Jaszczun, but chipped over. United
furthered their lead before the break with another brilliant goal, this
time from Stansfield's strike partner Williams. He collected a pass from
Rob Purdie with his back to goal, span off his marker and hit a
wonderful snap-shot that flew into the back of the net off the crossbar,
with three minutes of the half remaining
Cambridge
came out for the restart full of fight and ready to attempt a comeback,
but any hopes of theirs were dashed by man of the match Williams just
five minutes into the half. United cleared their lines following a cross
into the box and fed Stansfield down the right where he had acres of
space to run into before picking out the run of Williams towards the far
post. Williams stormed in and finished perfectly with his first touch
to put the result beyond any doubt. Rob Newman introduced Fola Onibuje
in to his attack, hoping that his height would help The U's salvage
something from the game.
The
aerial threat was Cambridge's only real danger but Brown didn't have to
stretch to make a save all game. Mark Peters headed straight at him as
he met a corner unchallenged while at the other end Williams went close
to completing his hattrick before the hour mark. He dispossessed a
defender but shot over the bar from twenty yards out. Purdie also missed
the target from a similar range following a cleared free kick before
Onibuje headed Brady's cross straight at Brown. And with twenty minutes
left, Graham Turner introduced his new signing to the home crowd of
2,142 (including 84 away fans). Stuart Fleetwood replaced the
hard-working Stansfield in attack.
The
Welsh Under 21 international was straight into the action and forced
his way through the U's defence and cut back into the centre where
Williams cleverly let the ball run for Nicolau, and the loanee hit the
foot of the post from eight yards. The visitors came closest to netting
when they broke quickly, picking out Pitt, who'd split off to the left,
but his cross was flashed wide of the far post by the head of Onibuje.
Fleetwood, who showed some nice touches as well as pace and strength,
blazed over from the edge of the box as the game came to a close.
So
it finished 3-0 to The Whites and moves them up the league table, right
into the thick of the play-offs. Other than the first twenty minutes,
Hereford generally dominated and were rarely threatened by Cambridge and
there was some nice football on show, especially in the second half
when gaps appeared in the visitors defence as they went in search of
some sort of consilation. Purdie again looked happier in his centre
midfield role and the team seemed to again have added balance,
presumably due to the addition of a left winger in Nicolau who played
well. Mayb it is no coincidence that since Purdie has moved into the
middle, The Bulls have scored 5 goals in two games. Goalscoring has been
the department that they have struggled in for most of the season.
HUFC:
Brown, Travis, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Carey-Bertram, Purdie,
Ferrell, Nicolau, Williams, Stansfield. Subs: Mawson, James, Green,
Stanley, Fleetwood.
CUFC:
Howie, Morrison, Duncan, Peters, Jaszczun, Brady, Smith, Gleeson,
Bridges, Pitt, Westcarr. Subs: Davies, Porter, Robinson, Heeroo, Onibuje
.