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Despite the Bucks having picked up just seven points this season, any repeat from Hereford of Tuesday’s performance against Kettering will make this quite an even encounter, though not one you’d be too inclined to pay to watch.
Hereford’s general record against Telford isn’t as good as the one against Blyth, but it’s more than good enough to be able to take some positivity from. The Bulls haven’t lost to the Bucks in the five matches the clubs have contested since Hereford were promoted to the NLN, but having drawn both matches at the Bucks Head a third draw here wouldn’t be too convincing in terms of signalling a return to form following the Kettering let-down.
It's ironic that Ryan Lloyd is so inconspicuous when he is around, but when he’s not his absence is hugely conspicuous. His return to fitness can’t come soon enough, and encouragingly Josh Gowling suggested after the Kettering game that he may be back for this one. Another who was looking well up to the task before injury was Thierry Latty-Fairweather, although he may be a week or so away from a return.
As pitches get heavier it will surely become ever more difficult for Ty Barnett’s legs to continue carrying him reliably as a lone striker, although his workrate and attitude will continue to be as faultless as ever (he’ll probably now get sent off against one of his many old clubs on Saturday).
Aaron Amadi-Holloway could be a doubt for this one after picking up what looked like it might have been a pitch-induced strain at Kettering. Supporters will be hoping that he’ll be able to play some sort of part in some sort of position. In an ideal world it would be possible for him to play in every position.
As for Telford, they’ve had a truly awful start to the season. Six of those seven points came before the end of August, meaning that they’ve picked up just one point since then from their last ten league games. Along the way they were dumped out of the Cup when shipping four goals to Chasetown at home.
After just a year in the job, manager Paul Carden was unsurprisingly sacked at the start of October, but since then they’ve lost every game under new boss Kevin Wilkin. Wilkin was appointed just a week after being sacked by Brackley, and perhaps his dismal start following seven high-flying seasons at Brackley just goes to show how much of a difference the money makes at the Northamptonshire club. How would Guardiola get on at Bournemouth?
Young Bolton defender Adam Senior has been brought in on loan this week, and ex-Bull Mo Faal has been with the club for the last month on loan from West Brom, although he has yet to score. I suppose I’m obliged to use his full name really, which is ‘6’ 5” Mo Faal’, in order to describe his main attribute.
Winger Brendon Daniels has done well to score five goals so far this season in a team that’s struggling so much. Indeed that’s virtually half of the 11 goals they’ve managed all season, with just five scored at home. Defensively they’re leakier than anyone else, although they’ve only conceded one goal more than Kettering. Unfortunately, and worryingly, that generous Kettering defence wasn’t unduly troubled by the Bulls attack on Tuesday. Such a lot is hanging on whether the excellent Telford playing surface will transform the visitors’ performance here.
In asking a normally very articulate Telford contact for his thoughts on his team in the build-up to this match, the majority of his seven-word response consisted of words that can’t be repeated on a family website such as this one.
Suddenly there’s a bit of pressure on here for Hereford, as anything other than a win, especially when considering some of the Telford statistics above, would make the Cup run and those signs of finally being able to put a decent unbeaten run together seem like very distant memories – such is the way with football.
Personally, I think it’ll be 0-3, triggering another mini-run of partial success followed by a loss to someone rubbish, and the cycle starts again. Breaking that cycle may require investing some of the Cup money in a player to help Ty Barnett out up front maybe? I know there’s already one at the club but he’s also good at the back. Tricky. Like, it’s obviously not Tricky the Bristolian rapper, it’s AAH. I meant the situation’s tricky.
As Yan Klukowski has mentioned, and I paraphrase here, it seems to take two defeats in a row to give the squad a wake-up call to go on one of those mini unbeaten runs that threaten to ignite the season before things fizzle out again. As Son of Eric said in his Bulls News Kettering match report, that’s not really the mark of a side that’s destined for great things in the NLN. Boys don’t cry, white men can’t jump, and successful teams don’t lose to Bradford and Kettering.
Anyway, hopefully this time a win here will trigger a proper, statement-of-intent, long unbeaten run featuring mostly wins. A successful December would be some achievement given the string of tough fixtures awaiting during that month.
COYW