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Next Game: Banbury Away On Friday March 29th Kick-Off 3.00pm

Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Difference Was The Defending Said Slade


Another away defeat for Hereford FC this afternoon. Kidderminster controlled most of the game except for a short period in the second half and throughly deserved their 3-1 victory.

Afterwards Hereford manager Russell Slade spoke to the local media.

"The difference was the defending," said Slade.

"Obviously first of all can you stop the cross, if you can't stop the cross can you defend it in the box, fresh air is not going to score so you need to pick up, you need to get nice and tight, you need to tie up, do your job, mark, and deal with your player.

"And we didn't do that.

"One cross second half one goal for them.

"They are not having to work too hard to get in, to get an opportunity like that.

"I thought second period we grind our way back into the game, derserved to get that goal, had an opportunity then to equalise, didn't take it and then, not picked up well enough from a throw in, not stopped the cross, defending in the middle of the box again was disappointing.

"What I said to them before, the way they play, the management of space is going to be the difference. What I mean by that is how far you are off a player, when that ball shifts from right to left deal with it, shift over, don't let them play between as much as you can so you get nice and tight enough so the ball goes out wide then you can start to get tight. So the management of space was crucial as well. And they didn't do that well enough."

What did you say to them at half-time?

"Obviously I wasn't happy so I had to try and galvanise the group which I felt we did to an extent. 

"I thought we came out the second period, we needed to be better, we had to be better, wasn't good enough in the first half.

"Second period I thought we matched them better, we managed the space better, picked up more second balls, got tighter to them.

"Too many times first half the center forward it was going into his chest, able to turn , play the ball wide and start causing us problems.

"Second period I thought we did that better, got ourselves back in the game and then shot ourselves in the foot."

Alex Bray came on during the second half.

"He was positive, he's got that little bit of pace, can be that little bit different.

"When he comes on sometimes and the game gets stretched, get the ball out to him quickly he's able to take his man on and cause problems.

"Switching Nicholson out wide as well, he provided the cross for the goal which clearly helped us.

"But what disappointed me after that is we stopped doing what had got us back into the game. We stopped putting balls into the box, we stopped crossing, we were taking too long, we were trying to over-play almost in the final third.

"Put the ball in, cause them problems, ask questions of the center-backs, ask questions of the goalkeeper. Because when he did that we got a result and got ourselves a goal and nearly got ourselves a second goal.

"But you have to keep doing that, why stop doing what was working and that was what I said to them at full-time, you've got to keep doing it, you've got to be rentless with it."

It's Leamington at Edgar Street on Saturday.

"We've been more solid at home.

"I can't count the times we've given ourselves a two goal disadvantage at half time away from home.

"At home our form has been more solid, has to be more solid but we have to turn those draws into wins at home.

"We've been a little bit unfortunate not top pick up a win in the last two or three games but that happens in football and things do go against you from time to time but you've just got to brush yourselves down, be mentally strong and physically up for the game again.

"It will be another tough game, they are all tough games in this league, they are all competitive. But we have an opportunity to go and get three points and that's what we need to do."