Bulls Share Six with Moors

Whilst hosepipe bans started to be imposed the Shire looked verdant with combines harvesting. Edgar Street's pitch looked perfect and there was a buzz about the ground with the fans park on a warm and sunny day. The Bulls lined up with Wade; Hodgkiss (c), Haines, Lilly, Evans; Thompson-Sommers, Lloyd; Storey, Pinchard, McLean; Barnett.

On the bench were five outfield players, Hanson, Pendley, Osideko, Klukowski and Latty-Fairweather.

The game started at a fast pace Hereford having the better of the exchanges with Haines just heading over a good opportunity. Barnett was fouled near the centre circle, but referee Corbett did not give it and allowed a forward ball which was intercepted. Pinchard played an excellent long ball down the right channel freeing McLean to break Spennymoor's offside trap. He strode past left back Duxbury and seared to the touchline pulling the ball back sweetly to the penalty spot for the waiting Storey. Miles totally missed his kick just slightly scuffing the ball and barely affecting the direction of the ball. Fortunately the ball ran into the path of midfielder Ramshaw who was covering back. He could not avert the surprise package and side footed it sweetly just inside the post. As the jubilant Bulls returned to their half Barnett gave the referee an earful pointing out that he had been fouled. It was good to see more referee management than the team started with last season.

Hereford relaxed and there were exchanges as both teams looked very open. A simple straight ball from Ramshaw went between Haines and Hodgkiss with Thewlis in an unexpected amount of space on the left. Wade came out to narrow the angle but Thewlis curled the ball around Brad into the far corner.

Having started well with their press, rotating forward players and playing progressively Hereford's left back area became a Bermuda Triangle. Debutant Evans offers a lot going forward but the team struggled to cover when he attacked. This left a gap which the County Durham men were quick to exploit. Wade was alert to this and rushed out as a sweeper keeper, causing some concerns amongst fans in case of a slip. Brad did well but he was coming further and wider than would have been ideal. Lloyd covered at times but a number of other players did not read the danger when it was their responsibility.

Oyibo had been foiled when he found space in behind on the right but the Bulls did not take heed. Ramshaw surged down the right and got in a cross to the far post with two Moors attackers unmarked at the back post Thewlis took the ball town and feinted past a defender shooting home from close range.

Goalkeeper Max Metcalfe on loan from Middlesbrough developed a mystery injury which necessitated lengthy treatment and slowed the game down now Spennymoor were leading. He recovered and made an outstanding tip over from McLean when Ryan seized on a flick on from Barnett. Hereford were pressing as the break loomed. Evans fed Thompson-Sommers just inside the box on the left. He jinked one way and then another showing good control and jockeying a defender. Being shielded he then audaciously tried a flick like a sand wedge in behind for Pinchard to run on to. The pass caught the outstretched arm of the Moors defender. Their hand was not in a natural position and clearly impeded the ball which was not driven at them and a penalty was awarded.

The referee was surrounded by five men in red with veteran captain Curtis leading the hectoring. Weak referee Corbett struggled to get the protestors to disperse. Eventually the penalty was allowed to be taken and Barnett struck it low and hard to the right. Metcalfe almost got down to it but the power saw Hereford equalise. Centre back Tait chuntered on about the decision and was booked earning a rebuke from Curtis for not harassing the referee correctly.

The second half saw Hereford take the lead again with Storey winning a ball high up, sprinting forward and when he tried to go past Metcalfe he was taken down by the keeper for a clear penalty. 

Miles had got the ball past and would have run on to a tap in. Barnett strode up and put the ball hard and low to the left this time. 

The Moors came back into it and the impressive Thewlis remained a danger man. Thompson-Sommers addressed this with a strong tackle which was late and Kane was booked.

The game became stretched and gradually Spennymoor went into the ascendancy. Left back Duxbury put in some good dead balls and from one the ball fell to danger man Taylor who close in struck hard and low. Wade diving to his left got a hand to it and tipped it on to the post but it came back and seemed to hit the back of Brad. As the ball headed goal wards Lilly was on hand to clear a certain goal.

Hereford took off McLean and brought on Osideko, Pinchard being replaced by Hanson. Spennymoor brought on Watt for Oyibo. Barnett was fouled inside the box but the referee did not give it perhaps feeling uncomfortable to make a third correct decision. Spennymoor had the better of the game and when a corner was partly cleared Anderson curled a low shot carefully inside the post from 25 yards to bring the game level again.

Spennymoor brought on Chandler for Thewlis. Both sides kept going for the win but a draw was a fair result. 2,205 with 48 from the North East received royal entertainment. For the debutants Wade had no chance with the goals, made one excellent save and several other good stops. He was alert to danger and offers the possibility of a sweeper keeper if Hereford want to play a high line. 

Evans looks exciting going forward but unlike on the right there seemed to be a lack of communication as to who was responsible for covering when he went forward. Lilly as left centre back faced the dilemma of whether to come across or not and held his position mostly. He likes to play out from the back but was very fortunate when one square pass was intercepted but fortunately with a heavy touch, allowing Zak to recover possession. He had a clear opportunity on the edge of the box following a corner and hit his effort agriculturally towards Waitrose. 

Thompson-Sommers won a penalty with his skill and looked better going forward than reading danger and covering when Taylor and Thewlis dropped into space. He never hid and looks a promising acquisition. As he has barely trained with team mates since signing, the positional problems will no doubt be soon sorted. 

Barnett looked the pick of the new signings, coolly despatching two penalties. Too often he was left isolated when crosses came in yet he battled hard sometimes with four defenders for company. He also came back for corners and several times defensively headed the ball away powerfully. He was rightly the sponsors man of the match.

Osideko has irrepressible self-belief shooting from an impossible angle and finding the side netting. Hanson sat deeper than Pinchard as Hereford unsuccessfully tried to hold on to their lead.

Defensively this was not a good day and all the Moors goals were preventable. The style of play was shown by Haines. When a long ball came forward he looked to volley the ball down the inside right channel. A difficult skill and he scuffed it, allowing an attacker in and although Luke recovered well to win the challenge, was the risk worth it when a simple ball out for a throw in was the easier option? 

On another occasion Luke sharply turned in the box to fool the forward but then took his time to clear and got into a tussle with the attacker. The referee gave a foul in Luke's favour. Relying on referees to be consistent seems a risky strategy and if the ball had been nicked away whilst Haines dwelt on it the Bulls might have got nothing from the game.

More positively Pinchard releasing the pace of McLean and Storey is a frightening prospect for the opposition and Barnett has the wit and wisdom of a John-Lewis suggesting Hereford attacking trident will score more than last season.

This was great fun in the sun. If Hereford's new players can be better drilled defensively to rotate as well as the forward players did, plus pick up a bit more of the gamesmanship the National League North requires, a promising season awaits.