Text at top (next game etc)

Next Game: Brentwood In The FA Trophy At Edgar Street On Saturday 16th November At 3.00pm

Sunday, October 06, 2019

Match preview - Hereford FC vs Tamworth FC


So the farming tie of the third qualifying round of the FA Cup goes to a replay, as Bulls and Lambs prepare to share an area of grass for the second time, and this time it's real grass, so they can do a bit of grazing if they like while they wait for the ball to come out of the sky from yet another hopeful punt, if the first match is anything to go by.

It'll be an unwanted extra game for Russell Slade and his charges, with long trips to Bradford and particularly Broomy Hill coming up, but in truth, despite Hereford hitting the bar twice on Saturday, there was little between the two sides, and a draw was a fair result.

The Bulls go into this one again without striker Reece Styche, who's on bench warming duties watching goals fly in at the wrong end with Gibraltar. Similarly, Rowan Liburd and Raheem Hanley will be away with St Kitts and St Nevis. A formation tweak could see Bradley Ash come in to offer a little more mobility up front and less of a temptation to launch those hopeful punts.

Jacob Jagger Cane was in a combative mood in the first match, and was 'tactically' withdrawn early in the second half, and Slade may decide to 'tactically' rest him for this one rather than risk playing a midfielder with potential scores to settle and thus potential to 'give the referee no option'. With the manager busy collecting new midfield players, there's cover aplenty, and new signing Ben Pollock looks like a tailor-made replacement, and it would be good to see an early glimpse of what he might be able to offer for the remainder of the season.

Tamworth's performance reflected the fact that they'd won nine of their last eleven games in all competitions prior to Saturday's match, and again they should prove to be an obstinate obstacle to Hereford progressing to the promised land of the fourth qualifying round, as well as scooping the £11k prize money.

Supporters will be hoping that the players can get the ball down a bit more, trust that they can play a superior passing game to their lower-graded opponents, and get in behind them to create chances, rather than go aerially, an approach the Tamworth defence will presumably be far more used to in the Southern Premier.

Two more wins in the competition and the Stadium of Light beckons (unfortunately not the Lisbon one, but beggars can't be choosers).

COYW