16 years ago today Hereford played Leeds in the FA Cup at Edgar Street. A look back:
Bulls gain Leeds replay
Hereford United put in a spirited display to hold the Football League form team Leeds United at Edgar Street in the FA Cup First Round. Both sides had good chances to score, with notably Jermaine Beckford and Lionel Ainsworth threatening at either end. A replay will now be have to be played to decide the outcome of the tie, with Tuesday the 20th of November the provisional date for the game.
The ground quickly filled up pre-match, with the Sky cameras plotted around the ground. A Hereford Bull was paraded around the pitch before the start of the game, which was strongly greeted by the home supporters. There was a good noise created as both sets of supporters anticipated the cup match, with both hopeful that there team would be able to progress at the first time of asking.
Unsurprisingly, Graham Turner named an unchanged side, despite having the experience of Steve Guinan available once more after completing his three match suspension. The ex Cheltenham striker was named amongst the subs, with Simon Johnson, a former trainee at Leeds United, left out altogether. Trent McClenahan was unavailable due to a family bereavement, so Richard Rose deputised once more at right back. Leeds named a fairly strong side, with a few changes from their recent league victory at Bournemouth. Joint top goalscorers Tresor Kandol and Beckford were named up front, whilst former Newcastle youngster Paul Huntington started alongside Matt Heath in defence.
Jonathon Howson got the first shot in on goal, but his effort was weak and straight at Wayne Brown. United had a strong penalty shout soon after, when Trevor Benjamin appeared to be pulled back when in a good position inside the area. The referee waved away the strong appeals from Benjamin, much to the frustration of the 28 year old. Ben Smith found Benjamin once more, in a decent position, this time just outside the box, with a nice through ball but Benjamin took too many touches, and failed to test Leeds goalkeeper Casper Ankergren, with a well-timed block denying him. Theo Robinson also looked lively early on, and snapshot from a tight angle was caught by Ankergren. Tricky winger Sebastien Carole shot wide, whilst Rose fired just past the post after cutting in from the right hand side.
Carole followed up his earlier effort with a good effort on goal; Clint Easton played a sloppy pass across field, and Carole pounced on the loose ball and broke through the middle at pace, before firing towards the top corner, but Brown was equal to it. Beckford acrobatically fired over inside the box. At the other end, both Toumani Diagouraga and Benjamin tried their luck but to no avail as their efforts were harmless. Kandol plucked a long ball out of the air but could only send a soft shot at Brown, before Smith had a fine volleyed effort blocked in the area.
Half time was reached and the score was level. Both sides were content with the first half showing as neither bench decided to change things around. The Whites started the second period quickly, and Easton's drilled cross was sliced past the post by Huntington. Benjamin, always a threat with his aerial prescence, went extremely close to breaking the deadlock, when he nodded a Lionel Ainsworth inches wide of the post. Leeds strikers Kandol and Beckford linked up in front of the Meadow End, but former Wealdstone star Beckford couldn't finish, as his acrobatical effort was high and wide. A move, similar to last weekend's second goal against Darlington, nearly resulted in the first of this game. Smith played the ball into the feet of Benjamin, who held off the challenge of Heath, before playing Robinson in. The young striker, from an angle, struck across Ankergren but saw his effort drag narrowly past the upright.
A neat cut in from Ben Parker saw the full-back shoot, but once more, Brown gathered with relative ease. Leeds, a genuine threat on the break, saw Beckford race into space when played in. Karl Broadhurst tracked him all the way, and blocked his shot. However, the ball caught Broadhurst and the defender was injured, and subsequently stretchered off. Kris Taylor replaced him, with Rose moving to centre back and Diagouraga taking up the role of right back. Ten minutes after that change, Guinan replaced the tiring Benjamin, whilst Filipe Da Costa took the place of Curtis Weston. Brown was once again called upon, but it was bread and butter for the goalie, as Beckford curled a shot straight at him. Good pressure down the left hand side, resulted in Easton crossing with the outside of his right foot, and Ainsworth drifted in from the right hand side to leap majestically to meet it. Ankergren was on hand to make a fine save and tip over the effort.
Beckford tried to make it third time lucky with yet another acrobatical effort, but after Heath had set him up with his head, the ball ended up near the back of the Meadow End. The largely ineffective Kandol was taken off, with Leon Constantine taking his place. The former Port Vale man has bad memories of Edgar Street, as he was on the end of a thrashing in Hereford's last FA Cup victory, against Vale last December. Heath got on the end of a Da Costa free-kick, but his header was harmless. The Bulls had two superb chances to snatch late win, but both McCombe and Smith failed to score. Firstly, Smith headed back into the danger area, and the ball found its way through to an unmarked, and onside McCombe, but his shot, from close range, went narrowly past the post. Then, Easton cushioned a pass which the on-rushing Smith picked up, as he made his way into the Leeds area, yet Smith took one too many touches, and a tackle was put in. Had the former Weymouth man sorted out his feet, and taken the shot, Hereford could have been celebrating. Jamie Clapham replaced Carole at the death, as Leeds saw out the three minutes of added time to seal a draw.
Although the game finished in a scoreless draw, the match, watched by 5924, including 1070 Leeds fans, was an entertaining one with chances a plenty at either end. Both sides were fairly equal, but Hereford had some good opportunities to win it at the end. Both Broadhurst and McCombe were in superb form at the back; unfortunately, the injury sustained by Broadhurst looked quite serious. No doubt, the replay will generate plenty of interest from Hereford supporters, as The Bulls make the trip to Elland Road to see which side progresses to the next round. However, before the match, United travel to Stockport for a League Two game. This will hold just as much, if not more important for Hereford.
Hereford: Brown, Rose, Broadhurst, McCombe, Threlfall, Ainsworth, Diagouraga, Smith, Easton, Benjamin, Robinson.
Subs: Ingham, Webb, Taylor, Gwynne, Guinan.
Leeds: Ankergren, Marques, Huntington, Heath, Parker, Weston, Howson, Douglas, Carole, Kandol, Beckford.
Subs: Lucas, Clapham, Bayly, Da Costa, Constantine.
It was not to be - disappointed Turner
With
his manager's hat on Graham Turner must have been disappointed with last
night's draw with Leeds but wearing his chairman's hat he may be
quietly rubbing his hands together with the prospect of a good financial
return from the replay at Elland Road.
"We are disappointed that
in the last 15 minutes we didn't win the game. There were one or two
opportunities but it was not to be," Turner told Hereford Times sports
editor Richard Prime who covered the game for the Guardian.
"We had a storming finish and John McCombe could have won it at the end.
"But
we've got the draw and the replay. We've been good away from home too,
so the players should be confident. Hopefully Leeds will feel they have
done the hard work already."
Turner also spoke to the BBC.
 |
| John McCombe |
"John
McCombe's overhead kick on another day goes in and Lionel Ainsworth's
header if it goes either side of the keeper is a goal.
"We had the better chances although Leeds a lot of the ball.
"We matched them and I am disappointed with the outcome but we can look forward to a replay at Elland Road.
"The replay will be great experience for our younger players.
"It was not a bad nights work."
Turner's Comments from Sky
Below are Graham Turner's main comments to Sky Sports after yesterday's game against Leeds United.
The game:
"I thought we had a storming finish. There were one or two chances that went begging. We broke ever so well.
"A
draw, a replay, the money it generates important for the club, but
we've been quite good away from home this season so there are no fears."
Leeds:
"We've had a good look at them. Players should be confident after what we have done tonight.
"They've
got some useful players, we were at full stretch to contain them at
times but I thought we created one or two things ourselves and might
have done a bit better."
Best chance:
"I think the
overhead chance from John McCombe. It looked a good chance. I know he
had his back to goal but on another day that would fly into the back of
the net. One or two just whistled past the back post but there you are
it's happened. We're sorry we didn't get any goals for you."
Possible penalty:
"From
where we were it looked as though there might have been a little trip
or shirt pull because I couldn't understand why Trevor went down. It
looked as though he was going to get onto the ball and side foot it from
five or six yards but we were a long way from it so we've got to accept
the decision."
The replay:
"We'll enjoy the experience there. We'll enjoy the money that comes from it but we'll have a chance."