After The Lord Mayor’s Show

With plenty of rain Hereford went apprehensively to Kettering’s mudlarking ground at Burton Latimer. However, this was the earliest in the season the Bulls have played there, so for the first time the Bulls encountered a pitch covered in grass! The Bulls made two changes from their performance in front of millions on Friday night. McLean dropped out of the squad with a strain and Thompson-Sommers was on the bench. 

Hereford lined up with Eve; Skipper Hodgkiss, Pendley, Amadi-Holloway, Evans; Haines and Hanson; Holmes, Storey, Pinchard; Barnett. Substitutes - Thompson-Sommers, Derricott, Campbell, Caton, Thompson.

Kettering are a very friendly club and held a minute’s silence for two volunteers and long standing fans.There were 576 present with around 100 from the Shire.

Hodgkiss Wins A Corner For The Bulls

When the Bulls think a team is there for the taking they fly out of the blocks. Towards the end of last season the Poppies looked well placed for this campaign but better wages at Boston, Brackley and Peterborough Sports had seen many players leave along with the manager. Hereford were up and at it. Evans, Pinchard and Storey were combining well on the left but despite intense pressing Hereford could not convert their superiority into a goal. Kettering’s first threat came from a long throw from Sharpe. Sharpe’s throws are even more impressive than Luke’s and troubled the Bulls throughout the game.

Having failed to take the lead Hereford faded for the next hour of the game allowing a limited Kettering side into the game. Kettering were gritty in midfield and were winning the battle to fight for the right to play. Hanson had a disappointing game. Kettering know their pitch well. It has bumps and swales which would grace any Open Championship golf course. The grass is long and any pass along the ground has a fifty fifty chance of bobbling up so the receiving player has a half volley to control the ball.

Jack Holmes Started For Hereford

Accordingly the Poppies keep it simple two touches at most if and push it forwards if possible into space. Above all they never trust the Latimer Park pitch. By contrast Haines cleverly nicked possession off Ward but then unwisely passed towards Pendley in the boggier end in the box by the Weetabix factory. Orrin slipped, lost the ball, and captain Stohrer seized on the ball to fire home. 

Later in the game Amadi-Holloway slipped in a similar part of the penalty area and had to be substituted with a strain. Haines had other simple options and this was a very poor goal to concede showing complacency about the pitch which had already shown its unpredictability.

With a lead to defend Kettering went into standard time wasting mode and young referee MacNamara failed to get grips with the band of charlatans. Hereford kept probing but were increasingly predictable and could not find a cutting edge. Ward was booked just before half time for a tactical shirt pull with Kettering deserving their lead.

Storey Made Some Good Runs For The Bulls

Gowling took Pendley off at the break and Thompson came on to play right centre back with Haines dropping back into the libero role, and the full backs pushing forward.

Kettering remained the stronger, hungrier and more energetic side, it seemed as if some Hereford players were tired after the Portsmouth game and there were several below par performances.The consistent seven out of ten or better of Ryan Lloyd was missed in the middle of the park.

Kettering were going nowhere when a hoicked clearance was badly miscued by Storey up to striker Lewthwaite who was allowed the freedom of the centre circle by Thompson to take the ball down and lay it back to Sharpe. Lewthwaite  turned and ran into the channel, Sharpe crisply passing forward. Hodgkiss failed to read the obvious pass and intercept. More guilty was Thompson who was supposed to be man marking Lewthwaite in that part of the pitch. Lewthwaite strode on and Thompson appeared to be running in slow motion by comparison. Lewthwaite was away and under no pressure he cut into the box drew Eve, waited for him to go down and shot across into the far side netting. 

Amadi-Holloway desperately came across but had too far to cover. Haines was out of position and too far up the pitch when the Bulls were out of possession. This was the worst goal I have seen the Bulls concede this season a shocking defensive lack of organisation. It is hard to believe that Pendley if he had still been on the pitch would have been as slow, passive and unaware as Thompson was. A tactical foul would have got a yellow card and would have kept the Bulls in the game.

One of the senior Kettering officials seemed in shock saying that Lewthwaite never does anything like that. Watch the video to see how lacklustre defending can turn any aspiring striker into a star.

Happy days for Kettering with a two goal lead. Haines fouled Stohrer tactically and was booked. Hill was booked for a foul. Holmes who had shown flashes was taken off for Derricott who played wide right as Hereford reverted to a back four with Amadi-Holloway going up front. Aaron was the best of Hereford’s strikers and he showed several pieces of neat control but could not quite open up the Poppies. 

Jack Evans

The Bulls finally got going but failed to appreciate possibilities. Several times Foulkes flapped and dropped balls under pressure. Referee MacNamara to his credit did not whistle just because the keeper had dropped the ball. Hereford though could not pick up the pieces. Caton came on for Amadi-Holloway near the end but a good ten to fifteen minutes at the beginning and end of the game is not enough.

Amadi-Holloway

Kettering look a bottom half of the table side. It’s great that Hereford can lift themselves for Fylde and Portsmouth but if you can’t get stuck in for a wet, muddy night in Burton Latimer you are not going to win this league. In the first half Gowling was telling players to cross when they got the chance and not to take too many touches. He had surely advised players of this beforehand and it should not have needed coaching during the game. 

Sub Mark Derricott Can't Get Around The Kettering Keeper

Hereford prepare for plastic pitches but do they practice on a rugby pitch for games like this? Leamington and Southport will be similar challenges. Gowling has managed at Latimer Park several times now, yet some of the players never got to grips with how to play on such a poor pitch. In the first half both of Kettering’s full backs looked vulnerable to pace yet Storey was kept central. Pinchard and Holmes have many skills but they are not fliers and were mostly held in check. All three are good creative players and when things were not working it seemed worth them rotating positions to try and make things happen.

One incident highlighted how Hereford failed to adapt. Two down Hanson came away from the penalty box rather than quickly releasing the ball. Trying to dribble he slipped and fell over. Pinchard nearest went to the ball with Jethro prostrate and put his hand on the ball as if to play a quick free kick. The referee blew up and awarded Kettering a free kick in a dangerous position. You can’t play total football on pitches like this.

Amadi-Holloway was Hereford’s best defender and attacker but most of the team were below par and Kettering seemed more than anything to want it most. Possibly the poorest display of the season so far.