 |
| Tom Owen-Evans Celebrating Scoring Hereford's First Goal |
Hereford lined up in a 3-3-2-1-1 with Smith to the left and Cullinane-Liburd to the right of Captain Gowling. O’Sullivan sat in front of the back three, the returning hero Jimmy Oates at right wing back and Greenslade on the left. Thomas continued in midfield on the centre right with Tom Owen-Evans on the left. Richards was the diamond tip sitting just behind striker Symons.
In the 1960s when official photographs were relatively rare and expensive Hereford United would occasionally have a team photograph taken before the game. My grandfather from Brimfield would always say they brought bad luck as players focused on the photo not the game. The Instagram generation will find it hard to understand the status in those days of a proper photograph. Blyth before the match presented awards to Dan Maguire, Conference player of the month for December and former player Eddie Alder to mark his 625 club record appearances. A classy touch saw Eddie present an award to Blyth legend Rob Dale who had just broken the record with his 626th appearance, with many photographs being taken.
Fourteen games unbeaten Blyth were perhaps thinking a little too much of their past accomplishments rather than the task in hand as Hereford started the better with Elliot Richards bursting through and firing on target, Jameson pushing the shot round the post for a corner. Cullinane-Liburd fouled on the right and the free kick was whipped in and Hereford cleared awkwardly. The ball came through the middle to Richards whose deliciously weighted ball found Tom Owen-Evans in the centre circle. TOE took the inviting ball in one graceful movement, turning his man and surging forward shrugging off defenders. Reaching the edge of the box he shot hard and low across the keeper scoring a classy goal. Tom’s grace and ability to accelerate away with the ball at his feet reminded me of Kevin Sheedy, let’s hope we can hang on to him for longer.
 |
Thomas has been brought into midfield to toughen things up with many of the new signings having skills to create but being less effective in stopping the other side playing. A tough tackle from Thomas resulted in a stern warning from the referee and a free kick. Blyth looked to get back in the game and from pressure a header was going in until Cullinane-Liburd headed over the bar saving a goal. O’Sullivan broke well and fed Symons with a tackle winning a throw close to the Blyth goal. O’Sullivan and Greenslade were linking up well on the left to win a corner for Richards which was blocked away.
Blyth moved up a level and started to regularly feed captain and legend Dale. Several times he got down the right putting in good crosses and getting into the area assisted by right back Nicholson. Having found a weakness Blyth kept feeding it and overloading on Greenslade. When Dale got through and shot on goal an excellent block by Smith stopped the ball hitting the target. O’Sullivan played some nice passes but did not seem to understand that sitting in front of the back four does not mean just sitting in the middle and that you need to cover danger. Similarly, Owen-Evans was not getting back deep enough, quick enough to fill the gaps. This regularly left Greenslade overloaded. By contrast the right side with Oates and Thomas combining well was untroubled. Thomas’s ability to smell danger would make him more suited to the more central position. Thomas was continuing to let Blyth know he was on the pitch consistently winning ball for Hereford.
One of the many crosses from Dale caught Yates in two minds but the ball ran safely. On his next run Dale beat both Greenslade and then O’Sullivan before getting his cross in. The game was not flowing and with Blyth hitting some good long Crossfield passes this suited Hereford. O’Sullivan caught a Blyth player who had to go off for treatment and then Oates was caught late, a challenge which was very close to a booking. Hereford had faded slightly from their very bright start but Greenslade got forward whipped over a cross which was cleared only to Cullinane-Liburd who shot over.
Just before half time a push on the right by Thomas resulted in a booking, deservedly as he had repeatedly been fouling. Thomas disagreed and walking away was still talking and then demonstrably pointed and gesticulated to the referee about the decision. The push by itself was not a yellow card. This was a very clear expression of dissent which could have resulted in a second yellow. Whilst good to see the commitment risking dismissal for dissent is a sign of poor discipline.
Manager Richards substituted Thomas at half time for Wharton saying he had a lower back strain. That’s diplomatic, it was a wise move as the referee was poor and inconsistent and with Thomas’ tough tackling, he may well have been unable to see out the game. Hereford deserved to go in one up for their very bright first fifteen minutes or so before the game became more even.
Owen-Evans remained a threat getting down the left and putting a great cross in. When Blyth broke at speed O’Sullivan’s late tackle deserved a booking but credit to him for taking one for the team when danger was threatened. Richards then crossed but the ball was hit over. Richards was keen to take no chances with Hereford’s lead and with O’Sullivan booked took him off and brought Lloyd on. The game was getting more physical and defender Buddle was booked for a late challenge.
Within a couple of minutes Hereford won a corner on the right. Owen-Evans whipped in a low cross to the front of the box and with Blyth’s defenders dreaming of their FA Trophy quarter-final with Orient next Saturday Oates wearing number ten showed there was no need for a new striker with a powerfully glanced header to put Hereford two up.
Symons had two great chances being fed by Owen-Evans firing one just wide and the other volleying over the bar.
Cullinane-Liburd’s knock from Guiseley was exacerbated and he went down in some pain and after a couple of minutes he was substituted for Finn. Hereford reorganised with Oates going to right back of an orthodox back four. Blyth sought to get back in the game by putting attacking substitutions Fewster and Wrightson for Holmes and Oliver. As Blyth stretched to get a goal, they left spaces and Owen-Evans got through and fed Richards who shot wide when he should have made the keeper work. Good work on the right lead to Oates firing in a beautiful cross which Finn was within inches of getting on the end of.
Hereford looked in little danger with their two-goal lead. Green picked up the ball on the half way line and started running forward. No sustained challenge was made and when 30 yards out he hit a powerful shot straight at Yates who seemed confused by the ball dipping a little and let the ball go straight through him.
Here’s one for the sports scientists. On Saturday’s east of the Pennines Yates almost lost goals with shocking clearances at Boston, gave away the goal which cost the game at Bradford, and failed to save a straightforward shot at Darlington turning a win into a draw and here at Blyth let the home team back into the game. There’s no doubt that in each of these games Yates made some good stops, some described as excellent. Would no other keeper have made those stops? It is hard to know. What is for sure is that hard to think of any Hereford keeper over many years who has let such soft goals in as often and kept his place, even to the extent of Horsell deciding he had no chance of playing consistently after such slips. Hereford went into this game with no substitute keeper. This is not a matter for science but judgment. Richards believes massively in Yates and clearly thinks that some of the saves outweigh the soft goals let in. Here’s hoping this is Yates last slip of the season but for pessimists the last relegation place may be decided by goal difference and board members talking about a play-off challenge the last place may be decided again on goal difference. The only team benefitting now are Derby who are seeing Yates character examined with his errors and getting a chance to see if he can make it or not without their own interests being affected.
Blyth sensing a way back into the game pushed forwards and Hereford tried to break and exploit the space left. A quick ball to Lloyd found him running in behind the Blyth back line. The ball bounced a little awkwardly but impressively George read the situation and went for the lob. He hit it high, in rugby this would be an up and under. Cruelly the ball soared giving time for keeper Jameson to scrabble back towards his goal line. The Hereford fans held their breath in expectation, would the ball just go over the bar? Down, down, down it came and bounced just before the line and into the net. A brilliantly executed finish and the two-goal lead was restored.
 |
Blyth pressed again and Yates made a very good stop from Maguire. Two minutes later again Yates saved well. Hereford breaking at every opportunity fed Lloyd and Fewster professionally fouled him to stop him knowing a booking would be the outcome. A good move by Blyth saw Wrightson go just wide. A long Blyth ball was awkwardly cleared by Gowling bouncing against the cross bar and when it came back substitute Fewster tapped in the rebound.
Hereford started brightly but then got into a battle which they fought their way. Three well taken goals and several saves helped. On the other hand, just as many Blyth fans were talking excitedly about their big trip to London in the Trophy next week, some Blyth players were not as focused as they have been through their fourteen game unbeaten run. Hereford fully deserved this win and manager Richards astutely removed players in danger of getting sent off.
For the players:
Yates made several excellent saves but let a soft goal in.
Oates easily stepped into this standard a scored a sharp header.
Greenslade provided a good attacking threat but struggled to get support in the first half for defensive duties.
Smith was solid.
Gowling constantly kept the dangerous Maguire in check, even after his booking.
Cullinane-Liburd saved a certain goal and got through lots of good work.
Thomas added bite in the middle.
O’Sullivan played some good passes but did not fully get to grips with defensive midfield duties.
Owen-Evans gorgeous goal apart there were many lovely touches and runs.
Richards made Hereford tick, superb pass for first goal and my man of the match.
Symons got battered but kept going and could have scored one of two good chances.
After recording their first double of the season, here’s hoping Hereford can secure their second one against Curzon Ashton next Saturday.
Report for BN from Son of Eric.