In a climate of uncertainty and differences of opinion over whether or not this season should continue as Covid rates soar ahead of any vaccine-induced slowdown, Hereford FC travel to the Zeeco Stadium, Stamford on Saturday for an FA Trophy fourth round tie.
Not for the first time, the Bulls have recently been enjoying an in-season break brought on by Covid postponements. The Spennymoor, Brackley and Telford matches fell by the wayside due to positive tests, and with Stamford at a step in the pyramid considered non-elite there was some uncertainty over this one being staged too. However, for reasons I haven’t bothered to try to fathom, it goes ahead.
With Hereford poised to strike in 14th position in the National League North like a coiled cobra (OK admittedly that’s assuming a fair bit of coiling), and with these vaccination options coming on stream, it would seem a shame to me if it was all wound up until August, but I can also totally see the sense in considering it crazy to carry on with football of any sort when frontline workers are so stretched.
The elite-level overpaid primadonnas in the Hereford squad have had a mixed time negotiating banana skins against lesser lights this season. An excellent win in the FA Cup at Gosport led to the prize the whole draw was looking for in the next round – an away trip to Stafford. This went less well, perhaps the glamour of the opposition was too dazzling – who knows? However, with the squad now operating much more on the same wavelength the visitors are expected to progress here, despite Stamford knocking Kidderminster out in the last round. We’re then very much starting to get into ‘dare to dream’ territory as the last-16 stage is reached. However, that’s quite enough tempting fate.
Stamford strut their stuff in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Division One South East, whose catchy name requires match programmes to be published in A3 size rather than A5. It's the eighth tier of English football, a tier that, if it was Covid-related, would require you to hide under your bed all day and night wrapped in clingfilm. The Daniels, yes the Daniels (named, rather wonderfully, after Daniel Lambert, the fattest man in England who lived in Stamford between 1770 and 1809), are the lowest-ranked club left in the competition, and if the Bulls (named after, er, male cows) are well-rested Stamford take that restfulness to another level, having not played since the defeat of Kidderminster on 15 December. They'll presumably take to the field in flip-flops and dressing gowns.
Given that their league season's still in its infancy having been put on hold, it's difficult to read too much into how they've got on so far, but on available evidence they look tight defensively and reasonably free-scoring too.
Former Leicester goalie Conrad Logan and ex-Boston defender Nathan Stainfield have joined the club in midweek in readiness for this match.
It’s to be hoped that one of the advantages of having a bit of time off recently is that the Hereford injury list has now magically evaporated. It was thought that Dan Jones and Kennedy Digie weren’t too far off full fitness before the enforced break, and their return would be a huge boost for both this match and any league matches that may miraculously take place subsequently. January has rapidly gone from looking crazily hectic in terms of fixtures to as quiet as June. Giles Coke will presumably be out for this as he recovers from Covid. All the best with that recovery Giles.
Incidentally, Cheltenham are playing Man City in the FA Cup fourth round a week after Hereford play Stamford in the FA Trophy fourth round. Where did it all go wrong eh?
A nice professional performance here to progress to the next round would give the coiled cobra a solid platform from which to get its fangs ready for a venomous attack on the upper reaches of the NLN.
Hissssssssssssss.
COYW