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Back to this weekend in 2007, Hereford United were in League Two and had made the long journey to table-toppers Hartlepool.
(The destination is topical as John Askey, who was offered the manager's job with Hereford last week, has joined Hartlepool as their new manager)
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Defeated, but not disappointed...
Well, perhaps they will be. Hereford United might well feel they deserved a draw at League Leaders Hartlepool United, who extended their unbeaten record to an incredible nineteen games. An action packed second half saw four goals to add to the one that took Pool in at the break a goal to the good. Eventually the hosts emerged with a 3-2 victory, with some help through a dubious second goal and the referee not penalising a hand ball in the Hartlepool box in injury time.
Hereford went in to the game with just one change, Dean Beckwith sitting out injured and Richard Rose making a return to defence, and it was the backline who were most busy for United in the first half. Early on Rob Purdie had to be alert to hack clear a dangerous cross from the left, though soon after Steve Guinan and Andy Williams linked up, with the latter winning a corner. Corners were proving to be a dangerous outlet for Hartlepool as well, as centre back Michael Nelson diverted one against the top of the bar before Anthony Sweeney saw a long range effort deflect behind.
The resulting corner proved vital, as Ben Clark headed in at the far post, with Wayne Brown doing his upmost to stop it, but getting his fingertips to it wasn't enough. Brown was kept busy throughout the half though and did his part in keeping out James Brown, before a rare Bulls attempt saw some good feet from skipper Ben Smith pick out Williams, who turned before firing into the side netting. Before the half was out the leaders almost doubled their advantage, but Brown's fingertips and the crossbar made sure that Richie Barker didn't score an almost identical goal to Clark's. A goalmouth scramble followed, but eventually Hereford cleared their line.
The cliche "a game of two halves" was most certainly true today, as Hereford impacted right from the off of the second forty five, with man of the match Danny Thomas netting within seconds of the restart. Thomas used his electric pace to outrun the Hartlepool defence to a long ball, and with 'keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos racing out to meet the ball, Thomas clipped over him and into an unguarded net to make it 1-1, in front of the 200 or so away fans in a crowd of 5,535. Williams then burst into action down the right five minutes into the half, but having passed Clark, he was denied by Konstantopoulos.
At the other end, Brown kept the score level with a fantastic save as a header came in, but Hereford were made to pay from a corner once again. This one wasn't direct though, it needed a mass goalmouth scramble before the ball emerged to James Brown, who turned it home after fifty four minutes. In the process Steve Jennings picked up an injury and left on a stretcher - Andy Ferrell replaced him. It will be interesting to see exactly what went on in the mele on tv replays.
The Bulls wouldn't back down though, and two minutes later equalised once again. Simon Travis delivered a cross towards Connell, who went down under the challenge of Clark claiming a penalty, but whilst everyone else appealed to the ref, Guinan latched onto the loose ball and smashed in a volley from close range. Hereford pushed on from here, and almost took the lead after a tidy passing move. Williams used some trickery on the right before finding Smith, who played it to Connell in the box, and he returned the pass, playing Smith in on goal, though at a narrow angle. Smith got a shot away, which required a good save, but the angle proved too tight.
Having nearly gone behind, Hartlepool went straight up the over end and netted the winning goal after sixty eight minutes. The goal kick, resulting after the described Hereford attack, was flicked on to Eifion Williams took one touch to control and then hit a stunning volley that cracked the post before going in from twenty five yards. Hereford couldn't come back a third time, but this didn't stop them trying. As they did, a few cracks appeared at the back and Brown was called upon a few more times before the game was over.
However, The Bulls may well feel hard done by as, in the second of four minutes added on, a Williams shot, after Thomas had once again beaten his man and delivered a cross, seemed destined for the top corner but a recovering defender threw himself in front of the ball with his hands up, and the ball looked to deflect of his arm before going over. The ref only gave a corner.
Not the end of the world for Hereford though, as they gave the top of the table side a run for their money, and were more than a match for their opponents. The game was very entertaining, and once again Graham Turner and his side will be able to take plenty of positives from the game, and hopefully build on them for next week.
HUFC: Brown, Travis, Rose, Mkandawire, Purdie, Thomas, Jennings, Smith, Williams, Connell, Guinan. Subs: Jeannin, Ferrell, Thompson, Gulliver, Sills.
HUFC: Konstantopoulos, Barron, Clark, Nelson, Humphreys, Brown, Sweeney, Liddle, Monkhouse, Barker, Eifion Williams. Subs: Provett, Foley, Bullock, Williams, Gibb.
Very feisty Hereford side says Wilson
Hereford's subs warming up
Hartlepool manager, Danny Wilson, was pleased to get three points from yesterday's game against Hereford United.
"For long periods we were a little bit loose in certain areas today," Wilson told his official website.
"We weren't really at our best but we have come away with another great three points and that's a testament to the belief the boys have.
"They got pegged back twice by a very feisty Hereford side and there were some nervous moments near the end but it's about the results at the moment.
"We could have had a better scoreline than we did at half time but you have to give credit to Hereford for how they came back at us."
Hereford United coach, John Trewick, thought the Bulls might have managed a point from the match.
"We asked the players to go out positively (in the second half) and try and win the game from that position of being 1-0 down. And we made a very good go of it.
"Just before they scored their third goal, when it was two each, we had a good chance with Ben Smith. On another day he would have finished it."
Turner comments on yesterday's match
Graham Turner, the Hereford United manager, spoke to the League Paper after yesterday's game at Hartlepool."We gave them a game all right, but didn't get the breaks at the end when we perhaps something to go our way.
"Hartlepool are a good team, that's why they are at the top. But we matched them in many respects and gave them a real scare. It was a performance we have to take something from.
"The result wasn't right, but once again we have given one of the top teams a scare and we have to play like this for the rest of the season."
Danny Wilson, the Hartlepool manager, added that Hereford had given 'Pool a really good game.
"They gave us a few frights and perhaps have every right to feel they should have got something from the game."
Danny
Thomas, pictured, was given a seven in the PA Stats but the other
Hereford players only received a five or a six which many will think
failed to appreciate their efforts.