Hereford FC entertain Southport this evening at Edgar Street, kick off 7:45pm, looking to finally end an abysmal run of form which has seen the club scrape together just four points from the last 36 available, scoring seven goals in those 12 games, resulting, somewhat inevitably, in the club now finding itself in the relegation positions, following the latest capitulation against FC United of Manchester.
Like FCUM before kick off last Saturday, Southport are one place beneath Hereford, but at the weekend recorded a mini-shock 2-0 victory at home against National League Boreham Wood to progress to the second round of the FA Cup. It was a game the hosts dominated, and followed hot on the heels of a 4-1 defeat of third-placed Kidderminster Harriers in the league. All talk at Haig Avenue is of a corner turned following a slow start to the season, and there certainly seems to be some substance to that claim judging by those two results. Oh great. Last season the Sandgrounders finished on the same points total as FCUM, four points clear of relegation.
As Hereford's sorry run of form
continues, it becomes harder and harder to resist the notion that this
is no blip. In the last six games (with that number for some reason
seemingly often considered to be a bloc from which meaningful conclusions can be drawn
on where a club's at), the Bulls have picked up three points. Unless my maths
is wonky, projected over a season that would deliver 21 points,
approximately 30 points shy of safety from relegation. As Southport
busily turn their corner, we seem to be reversing over a cliff.
In fairness, several players are out injured which doesn't help matters, but the club have suggested that Mike Symons could be available to make his seasonal debut tonight after coming through a match for Swindon Supermarine unscathed at the weekend. If nothing else, the Beast certainly offers something different up front, and could form a potentially effective big 'un/little 'un partnership with bright spark James Roberts. Eliot Richards and Lance Smith are reportedly close to coming back too, and both have been influential on the few occasions this season when the Bulls have been on top in games. Their return would therefore be warmly welcomed. Arguably the biggest miss of all of course, in terms of unlocking defences and having a bit of X factor about him, is Keyon Reffell, who still looks very unlikely to play for the remainder of 2018.
This evening, if the home side's performance mirrors Saturday's, when a struggling Manchester side were made to look very good, another defeat is on the cards, along with a thoroughly unpleasant winter. I do wonder what younger supporters have made of the last couple of months, knowing only championships, 100-point and 100-goal seasons, Cup runs and the like. It must be like watching a different sport, like international tearing-your-hair-out, or championship sky-diving-without-a-parachute or something.
However, it's been admirable how the support generally has been holding up in terms of numbers, and how the players have been able to count on the backing of the Edgar Street crowd. How long this will continue is open to debate of course, but another decent crowd this evening in good voice, and a general atmosphere of togetherness, can only help.
Looking on the bright side, and by 'bright' I mean bright like a candle seen from 100 metres away, on a foggy night, with a blindfold on, the last match seemed to demonstrate beyond all reasonable doubt that 4-4-2 might just be better with the players available than 3-5-2. If the Bulls start with the former formation, if Ryan Green's legs are up to it (which, according to the club, sounds unlikely), and if there's a real sense of urgency from the off, who knows what could be achieved? An early goal? A two-goal lead? Three points?
I'd better go and have a lie down.
COYW