Caddis’s Culture Change and the Power of Pond

Man of the match - Alex Babos

Oh what fun we had. Most fans couldn’t remember such a good game for many a long time. This wasn’t a backs against the wall nicked win like Fylde last season, you probably have to go back to the patched up defence beating Kidderminster the year before for as good a game. What a nice puzzle to have. Goals, controversy, commitment and a curiousity. At the centre of it all was Alex Babos putting in a performance for the ages, involved in all three goals and the best player on the pitch. But this was no one man show….

 

Hereford set up with Pond; Skinner, Livingstone, captain Cameron in for the absent Downing, Howkins; the recovered Lyden with Teixiera, Tolley, Babos, Ceesay and Freemantle upfront. On the bench were Southern, Rooney, Stanley, Cranston and Arthur. On a dry day which was mild for the time of year 2,932 came partly to secure Gillingham ticket priority. Curzon Ashton brought 11 fans and four flags, the highest flag per fan ratio in football?

 

Hereford flew out of the traps winning corners and dominating the top six side. At one corner there was an altercation between Howkins and Nash keeper Mason. The Assistant flagged and the referee duly booked them both. 

A sharp move saw Tolley cut inside a defender and fire hard and low, his effort deflected just wide at the expense of a corner. 

Curzon were unbeaten away from home and were struggling to create. Hereford had cleared away an attack with sharp passing close to Curzon attackers which impressed but seemed a little risky. A long Nash punt down the left seemed to be covered by Skinner who hit a looping pass back across the edge of the box. He had the chance to clear so this seemed to be a misplaced or miss it pass. Pond had come out to be close to Skinner to give him an option. Skinner’s pass fell to the unmarked Skinner who thought Christmas had come early. In space he calmly passed the ball into the far corner of the net. Howkins and others reassured Skinner.

With an unexpected advantage Curzon adjusted. Ceesay had been giving right back Poscha a difficult afternoon so Richards dropped back a little so that they could double up on Yusifu. Matthews professionally fouled Tolley when he was on the verge of breaking through and got a yellow. In return skilful Spencer was pulled back by Cameron and another yellow was warranted. Lyden recovering from COVID was not quite as influential as usual and fouling Richards he was booked. The challenge deemed to be high. Lyden was still his accomplished self just not standing out as much as usual.

Jordan Lyden

The game now was far more even with Hereford pressing to equalise and Nash enjoying sitting back, taking time out of the game and playing on the counter. Hereford continued to win corners and finally it all came together. Babos clipped the ball into the near post. Lyden rose and glanced it. The ball flew across the goalmouth and hit the far post bouncing out to Howkins who finished like a striker to equalise.

The least Hereford deserved was to go into the break on level terms. Nash arrived later than they would have liked, sent via Bromyard due to flooding in Worcestershire. They then got caught with Blackfriars Street jammed as it often is on a Saturday with cars trying to get into the Old Market shopping centre. Add in all the fans for the Hereford game, with the Merton car park full earlier than usual, and the Nash got off their bus and walked to the ground rather than waiting for the gridlock to clear. Accordingly some of their players did seem a little leggy. Campbell influential in February was not the same player.

Hereford again came out in good form taking the game to the Nash. Ceesay was yet again having a good game and Poscha was booked after repeatedly fouling Yusifu. Ceesay then crossed and Babos tried an overhead kick which went high and wide. Babos had been influential throughout and Curzon player-manager Mahon cynically took Alex out and was booked. Mahon is a quality player who normally troubles Hereford. This was his poorest game against the Bulls, he was kept quiet by the midfield.

Campbell and Allen came on for Richards and Mahon who were both on yellows. Stanley came on for Tolley. Jack did a lot of good work running at Curzon. His finishing was a little below par. He had a golden chance from a corner in the box in the first half which he should have done better with. In the second he won the ball back high up the pitch, but the ball was a little behind him  and his attempt at stretching behind and curling a shot into the far post was too ambitious with others well placed. Just before being substituted Babos beautifully played him through and he had Freemantle and Babos available but did not use them, instead getting partly blocked off so that his shot was not as powerful or as well placed as it might have been allowing Mason an easier save. It’s just his decision making which needs to improve, more goals and assists will come with greater experience.

The way the team have been playing every defender in the team could be allowed an error or two and Pond could go nap with mistakes and the Bulls would still be comfortably in credit. Howkins brought the ball forward on the right and crossing half way lasered the cross field pass of the day out to Ceesay wide on the left totally changing the angle of attack. Yusifu knew Poscha was on a booking and toyed with him, cutting back infield and laying a pass to Babos on the edge of the box tightly marked. Alex shaped to strike for the far post and keeper Mason put his weight that side just as Babos wanted. Smoothly, clinically, skilfully Alex shot the other way making Mason look flat footed to take the lead.

The Curzon players now talked to the referee about Hereford time wasting. When a foul was called in front of the Merton Stand on the half way line Howkins kicked the ball away. Not just a little but a big boot. He must have known in an instant that he had forgotten he was on a yellow. The booking was right and sent off he will miss next Saturday’s match. A pity because Kyle had been having another top class game.

Caddis sacrificed substitute Stanley and brought on Cranston to play centre back, Hereford going to 4-4-1. Curzon upped their game and Hereford invited them on a little. Nash took off Kenyon who had been limited and brought on Mols. Pond had made some solid if straight forward saves but then made a very fine grab at the second attempt from Barton’s header. As five minutes were added on Rooney came on for Freemantle. My what a Trojan Ethan is. Now he’s more match fit his work rate is unrelenting.

A long pass into space from Babos looked like it was covered by Mason. Rooney ran in hard and hopefully, Mason panicked and clutched the ball, reaching fractionally outside the box. Rooney protested, the Assistant Referee flagged and a free kick was awarded. Referee Pratt rightly saw a goal scoring opportunity and gave a second yellow, the keeper was off. 

Poscha went in goal. Adam Livingstone stepped up and clipped the ball just inside the near corner. Amazingly Poscha leapt high and tipped the ball on to the bar. The ball dropped back and Rooney stabbed home to clinch the game. It was a nice touch of Adam Livingstone after the game to seek out Poscha and congratulate the right back on a superb save.

Matthews talked his way into a second booking. With Nash down to nine, goalkeeping coach Kieron Bentley vented vigorous frustration and was given a straight red. A great win and lots of cards. The cliche is that the referee was card happy. I can’t argue with a single decision. I don’t want “common sense” which allows fouls in the first half hour and goes easy on time wasting, I want to watch football. On Tuesday night Hereford go to Alfreton whose dark arts are Premier League. They will welcome back their former player Ceesay with fouls from their right back, right centre back and right midfielder. The only question is whether that will take ten, twenty or thirty minutes. 

Yusifu can take it, he had another meaty physical battle and again got the upper hand. I don’t want the ball kicked away I want a fast flowing game, referee Pratt got the calls right, the players need to recognise the stricter interpretation of time wasting. If referee Pratt doesn’t book then Hereford don’t win. For the second goal Yusifu cut inside Poscha who could not foul him as he was on a yellow. Up to then Poscha had kept kicking Ceesay and stopping him that way. Having seen Ceesay for other teams I had always appreciated his pace and skill. What I missed is what a gritty player he is taking tackles a plenty and probably Hereford’s most fouled player. He works back and also floats in as a second striker.

The feeling of relief when Nash’s keeper got his second yellow was palpable with a weight lifted off the crowd and the team. Again if Pratt doesn’t book Mason tangling with Howkins that does not happen. 

Long suffering readers of these reporters will know I go on about National League North nous. This game showed how much of that Caddis has given the team. Hereford won the card count comfortably with four bookings, Howkins booked twice and off. Nash had lost it by the end. Three sent off in three minutes is a team disintegrating in the face of sustained professional pressure. Remember last season, at least one sending off every month. Howkins forgot he was on a booking for a moment, he’s enough credit in the bank to be allowed that slip. Think of how much money has been wasted in recent years paying suspended players sent off for stupid slips.

Another example of the Caddis cohesion is the offside trap. When you have two well drilled banks of four, or a four and a five you can step up with confidence. Pond steps up and has good footwork. On several occasions the team advanced and the Assistant Referee flagged. Howkins went off, Cranston came on and the transition was seamless. This was Cameron’s first start for a month but you would not know it. The defence is very well drilled.

My favourite example though is when Poscha got finally booked for repeatedly fouling Ceesay. First Lyden had a word with the referee, then he wandered away before any risk of a booking. Next Ceesay explained as he already had several times that this was football not kick-boxing. Then captain Cameron came and gave his view. All three talking reasonably but not out staying their welcome. Rotational requests for action. Compare that to recent seasons where Hodgkiss was often Jared no mates having to talk to the referee alone. Worse still was captain Haines who managed to get himself booked more often than the player he was complaining about due to his intemperate nature. Less bookings will mean less suspensions. Another Caddis change of culture.

The Meadow End was in good voice with lengthy Paul Caddis Black and White Army and Curtis Pond appreciation. The big goal keeper gets better and better. Only one really good save but that masks his excellent positioning. He’s like a ball magnet. That doesn’t happen by accident, take a bow unsung hero Shaun Edwards the goalkeeping coach.

Finally a curiousity. In the first half Curtis smashed away a loose ball so violently he broke the CJP advertising hoarding above the Len Weston terrace, plastic raining down on fans. 

In the second half a gentler clearance by Nash keeper Mason landed in the hole and stuck until someone in the Len Weston seats leant forward to dislodge it.

Everyone came away beaming, entertained at Edgar Street.