Hereford FC entertain bottom-of-the-table Nuneaton Borough tomorrow at Edgar Street, kick off 3pm, in what is arguably their most important match of the season so far.
The visitors, beleaguered by seemingly intractable ownership and cash problems, have been the whipping boys of National League North this season after finishing comfortably in mid-table last season as Nuneaton Town, and it’s vital that the Bulls don’t slip up against them in securing three points and a bit of breathing space between themselves and the bottom three.
The reverse fixture was the
second of the season, when a 0-0 draw to follow the 3-0 opening victory against
Blyth looked like a decent enough point against a club who had yet to show how
difficult they would find this season, in terms of continued participation let alone in being competitive. That unbeaten start gave rise to talk of the play-offs in
April, which now seem a very long way off indeed.
As Hereford meekly limped out
of the Trophy last Saturday, FC United of Manchester battled to a hugely impressive
3-2 win at Bradford Park Avenue in the league, and in the process reduced the gap between the two
clubs, and increased Hereford’s proximity to a relegation place, to just a
point. The Bulls do however have two games in hand.
The strikers again drew a blank
last Saturday, with defender Josh Gowling scoring a late consolation, but
against a Boro defence that’s been in generous mood so far this season in
conceding 58 goals in their 26 games, the opportunity’s there to find the back of the net and boost confidence levels ahead of tougher fixtures to come. If anyone's still wondering why the club is in such trouble at this stage of the season, they just need to note that Nuneaton have scored more goals than Hereford to date.
Boro lost another couple of
players during the week, including experienced midfielder Carl Baker, as everything
seemingly continues to unravel at the Liberty Way Stadium. However, youngster Josh Lundstream joins on loan from Crewe, and is expected to start.
Of the ex-Boro players now at Hereford, Theo Wharton is the most likely starter, with Frenchman Joel Dielna no doubt hoping to play a part at some point. James Wesolowski is still out injured. George Lloyd returns on loan from Cheltenham, now for the rest of the season, after a couple of weeks away warming the bench for the Robins, and whilst no-one can fault the lad's attitude and work ethic, his goals-to-games ratio isn't good. He's not alone in that of course, but if his return is the management's solution to the squad's goal famine there will be much scratching of heads among supporters.
It may be a bit ghoulish to say this given the predicament Nuneaton find themselves in, but the Bulls couldn't wish for a more timely opportunity to beat a team destined to be relegated, and in the process increase still further the goal difference advantage they have over the three clubs beneath them. For the sake of my blood pressure, I hope goal difference doesn't become a factor on the final day of the season, but you never know, April fixtures against Stockport, Telford, Southport, Altrincham and Boston are far from being gimmes.
Of the ex-Boro players now at Hereford, Theo Wharton is the most likely starter, with Frenchman Joel Dielna no doubt hoping to play a part at some point. James Wesolowski is still out injured. George Lloyd returns on loan from Cheltenham, now for the rest of the season, after a couple of weeks away warming the bench for the Robins, and whilst no-one can fault the lad's attitude and work ethic, his goals-to-games ratio isn't good. He's not alone in that of course, but if his return is the management's solution to the squad's goal famine there will be much scratching of heads among supporters.
It may be a bit ghoulish to say this given the predicament Nuneaton find themselves in, but the Bulls couldn't wish for a more timely opportunity to beat a team destined to be relegated, and in the process increase still further the goal difference advantage they have over the three clubs beneath them. For the sake of my blood pressure, I hope goal difference doesn't become a factor on the final day of the season, but you never know, April fixtures against Stockport, Telford, Southport, Altrincham and Boston are far from being gimmes.
Generally speaking, until some consistency is found
in terms of performances, and a new striker who can score ten or twelve goals between
now and the end of the season, everything’s now about survival. Anything other
than three points tomorrow doesn’t bear thinking about.
They don’t get more ‘must win’ than this.
They don’t get more ‘must win’ than this.
COYW