Goal of the Season - The Radford Trophy?

Tyrone Barnett About To Score At AFC Flyde

And He Does

The contenders for Hereford FC goal of the season and voting form are available at https://www.herefordfc.co.uk/goal-of-the-season-2022-23/?fbclid=IwAR0v23vjfbwM61NzYDTRZRUwIRK0jlO3Sr338HIhQCmrNi9Cwx-2He2hofs

The contenders are Luke Haines rocket at Chester which clinched an early season win which promised a promotion push.

Jack Evans long range effort at Boston which deflected up off a defender giving the keeper no chance.

Harry Pinchard’s peachy free kick at Bromley into the side netting.

Tyrone Barnett’s curler at Curzon Ashton from a precise Pinchard pass.

Miles Storey nutmegging the Portsmouth keeper in front of millions on the telly.

Orrin Pendley’s swivel and strike in the box against Scarborough.

Miles Storey clipping in after a fine Pinchard pass against Farsley.

Tyrone Barnett finishing a fine team move at Fylde with a bit of everything.

Ryan Lloyd’s precise flick after a flowing left wing raid prompted by Pinchard.

It has been a season of few goals so there’s been a little stretching to provide so many contenders. Apart from four goals in half an hour at Boston Bulls fans have been lucky to get a goal a game. The Evans strike perhaps acknowledges that team performance as the goal takes a heavy deflection. Both Miles Storey’s goals are pleasant but these are routine finishes for a striker. His opener against Portsmouth was the most exciting goal of the season and allowed us all to dream.

The cleanest long strike is Luke Haines. If you like free kick goals Harry Pinchard is your man and the compilation video shows how when Harry is on his game, his precise passing is top quality. He assists in three goals so would win a compilation of goals and assists. Orrin’s swivel is the best bit of penalty box predating. I have a bias for team goals so in reverse order my top three would be Harry Pinchard finding Miles in space, Storey progressing, holding and playing in Evans who rampages forward and pulls back for Lloyd who has started the move by his own penalty box to steer the ball across the keeper.

The Curzon Ashton video does not give Barnett sufficient credit. As Harwood Bull reported he won the ball pressing and found Pinchard. Harry quickly spots possibilities and plays an incisive pass to Tyrone wide on the right. He takes the ball in his stride, advances and draws defenders. I was privileged to be right behind the goal and it looks like nothing is on. Yet Barnett shoots with his instep setting the ball wide of the defender and the far goal post. He knows that his cut across the ball like a golfer fading a ball will bring it in just inside the post and give no keeper a chance. There’s a hint of Cubillas in this superb finish.

The best goal came in the best team performance of the season, the 3 1 win at Fylde.  Hereford are 2 up but top of the league Fylde are pressing to get back into the game, the ball is played in to Mo Faal on the edge of the Hereford box. Amazing Amadi-Holloway dispossesses him and nicks it to Jethro. He turns and plays it wide right to Tyrone who falls over as he quickly feeds McLean to break. Ryan races at pace and at one stage as he flies down the right he is solo against five defenders. He checks back, holds, takes time out of the game but then plays it to Hanson who has run forward to the inside right channel. Fylde are fully back and organised defensively. Jethro plays it square to the left to Tyrone who has got up to rejoin the attack. It looks like nothing much is on. Tyrone drops a shoulder takes a step and he has beaten his marker on the right and is bearing down on goal. Both central defenders come to challenge, one sliding in. No problem Tyrone whistles the ball between the the two defenders into the top right corner.

This goal has teamwork, stout defending, sharp midfield passing, wondrous wing play and a strike for the ages beating three defenders at once. Watch it here from 53 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VizNJVdlns

Barnett falls over earlier in the move but just like the immortal Ronnie Radford he gets up to score. In the season that the great man passed, shouldn’t Hereford’s goal of the season award be known as the Radford trophy?