Son of Eric reports from Leamington:
I arrived late due to road closures in Leamington and that was one of the best things that happened as this was a truly dire football match. All I had missed was the massive Bulls away fan presence which meant that the attendance of 887 was more than 200 greater than any other Leamington game this season. The Bulls fans generosity boosted the collection for Ukraine to over £1,000 and a blue and yellow flag was prominent at the home end. I asked the Bulls fans and I had not missed anything.
Hereford set up with an unchanged defence of skipper Hall, Gillela, Pearce, Pollock, and Revan. Haines and Vincent in front of them, Miles, Tom, and Maz behind Faal making his first start. The big man was an ideal selection against the Leamington team where big players are preferred over skills. The pitch was a disgrace. This was a farmer’s field, but Leamington have had twenty years to get it right. However, they are due to go to a new ground and it seemed as if they have stopped paying to maintain. The pitch has swales and humps a golf course would be proud of. On a bright day, with a strong breeze the ground had dried out having had less rain than in the Shire.
Any club wanting to try and play football would have watered this pitch to make a better game. However, those at the Bulls home game will know Leamington do not want to play football the right way. So, the pitch was left bone dry. In a way this was a back handed compliment. The Brakes knew that if this was to come down to a test of football skills the Bulls would be at a massive advantage, so bad bounces and the ball not running true making for a lottery is the Leamington way. If this was cricket the pitch would be penalised. The Conference North would be better and fairer if both Leamington and Southport lost a few points for their awful home pitches.
Hereford were playing into the wind and several times Hall’s clearances were sliced away endangering cars parked behind the stand. Even Maz and his silky skills struggled with the conditions and the uneven bounce. He did get Hereford’s first strike on goal, but it was straight at Hawkins.
Hereford’s best chance of the half fell to Pollock. Haines wound up a long throw on the right. Faal despite having two men on him jumped high and gave a perfect back flick into the area. Clarke misjudged his header and it skimmed off him falling eight yards out in the middle of the box. He rushed towards the ball and stabbed at it but did not catch the ball cleanly and a relieved Hawkins clutched the mishit.
The game was a lot of hoofball and there was little entertainment, so queues built early at the refreshment facilities. Walking back with some chips you passed the two management teams. Josh Gowling stood screening, barking out guidance to players, a little like an Arsene Wenger in his approach. Going past the Leamington bench manager Holleran and his two assistants were like the three unwise monkeys seeing no evil, hearing no evil from their players but spewing only evil at officials and opposition players alike. You expect a bit of this but the constant abuse especially at the officials was deeply unpleasant and would not be tolerated in any other workplace. A swear box by their dugout would have doubled or trebled the fundraising for Ukraine. A sad comment on the standards Chairman Jim Scott sets, the gamesmanship he endorses and very unwelcoming for any young children. Leamington are not a family friendly club.
Gowling Watches As The Ball Is Cleared Close But Not Close Enough
Ex Bull Kelsey Mooney
was playing up front for Leamington, but he showed nothing his only
chance headed straight at Hall and he was comfortably marshalled by the
defence. Pollock and Haines were both booked for serial fouling. It was
good to see them combatting Leamington’s rough house tactics but in this
department Brakes manager Holleran is cuter. He ensures that all his
players foul and distributes them more widely through the team to reduce
bookings.
Hereford took off Tom and brought on McLean this was not a pitch for Owen-Evans’s skills and when Ryan got going his runs were ended by a bobbly pitch more often than a Brakes defender.
Hereford then brought on Touray for Faal who had played well against a bruising defence. He created Hereford’s best chance and lead the line well; he looks an excellent signing.
Faal Impeded By Leamington Defenders?
Touray who came on had an excellent showing,
troubling the tiring backline with his close control and getting a
couple of snapshots away. Kouhyar was tightly marked and with the
pitching assisting the defenders this was his quietest display in 2022
and he was subbed for Patten.
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| No One Could Get On The End Of Patten's Free Kick |
Leamington took off Parker and brought on Gittings for Clarke. Towards the end it was almost as if referee Bancroft realised that he had managed to book two Hereford players and none of the home team. He booked Edwards and Morley in quick succession for the sort of robust fouls which are integral to Leamington’s game plan. On this threshold several Brakes players could and should have been booked earlier.
This was a bad day for football. Tom and Maz were taken off and there was no point putting Harry on the bumpy surface. There were though several pluses for Hereford. Yet again an outstanding away support of over 300 attending even though they knew they were likely to receive little entertainment. This was probably the best defensive performance of the season. Despite many corners and free kicks Leamington never really threatened. Pollock and Pearce are a formidable partnership. Both Gillela and Revan stood up to the muscularity of the Spamen. Teams that go up nick the sort of chance Ben was presented with. You could pick any of the rear guard as man of the match but for me it was Haines who stood out.
After being assaulted and knocked unconscious in the home game by Leamington captain Jack Edwards he stood up strong. Luke got in strong challenges on the miscreant, and when Ben did as well Haines knew he had a friend. It says much about Haines character that he was unafraid throughout. When the referee booked Luke, he pointed to all four corners showing the recurring fouling he had done. For me this was a badge of honour that Luke had done what was necessary all over the pitch. Luke’s long throws were Hereford’s best attacking ploy and he passed as well as anyone could in the conditions. It is his unyielding character though which surely makes him worthy of a lengthy contract.