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New Year’s Day offers the Bulls a super opportunity to extend that excellent run as they host Gloucester in the ‘return leg’ of the festive double-header, following the last-gasp victory down there on Boxing Day.
The Bulls defence will be fully prepared for Gloucester’s go-to tactic of long-diags-and-hoping-for-the-best-from-the-knockdowns. That defence has proved to be well capable of shutting such an approach out, particularly at home, and in the recent Spennymoor match kept a much more subtle and varied attacking approach at bay, bar one aberration.
There were a few defensive slips on Boxing Day, but it was difficult to ascertain whether that was partly the pitch or whether the Cameron-Downing partnership is feeling the effects a little bit of putting in some substantial shifts recently in a short space of time. Kyle Howkins is of course available to come in as a fresh daisy from the start here if Paul Caddis feels the need (apologies to big Kyle – I can’t imagine he’s been described as a daisy too often before). Howkins feels like a luxurious option to bring in, an option that points to the strength of the squad, and his freshness and desire to regain and keep his place could if anything strengthen the starting XI.
Lassana Mendes will presumably sit this one out as he serves a one-match ban, and on current form will be a big miss, although, given my record of calling precisely when a suspension will kick in, it could be sometime in mid-March for all I know. Koby Arthur coming in as his replacement with the sort of something-to-prove performance he showed against Banbury in mid-November would be very warmly welcomed.
On the other flank, and talking of current form, Yusifu Ceesay continues to be unplayable in spells. One approach to countering this may be to attempt to kick him out of games, but he’s a deceptively tough cookie and this may not be as successful as it might be with your traditional eight-stone-soaking-wet winger. The other, more ethically palatable option, which I thought we’d have seen before Gloucester employed it on Boxing Day, is to put two players on him. We’ll presumably see that again here, unless they decide that they need to up it to three or four players.
Another consideration for Caddis is whether to start with Jordan Lyden as the playing surface reverts to grass. Having had another week-and-a-bit recovery time since his return against Spennymoor, it would be hugely encouraging to see him fit enough here to exert the same influence that he was showing before his thigh injury.
Willo’s long-awaited return has so far been well worth the wait and something of the stuff of fairytales. One seasoned observer has described his technical superiority over tiring NLN defences as ‘almost cruel’. It may be sadistic of me, but my appetite for that cruelty after the thin gruel of the last few seasons is insatiable. Will it be another 20-minute cameo here, or his first start of the season? A double hat-trick for his fellow striker would see Duracell bunny Jason Cowley shoot to the top of the National League North goalscoring chart.
For Gloucester, Harry Pinchard will be looking to reprise his bright performance in the first game, and on that form and with his inherent ability he deserves a bigger stage than that offered at the Tiger Turf.
Striker Danny Wright may once more prove to be a handful, but could be starved of opportunities if the home side can dominate possession.
As Hereford’s away form improves, the Tigers’ travel sickness continues to be the main reason they’re where they are in the table. They’ve lost their last six in a row in league and cup away from home, and have failed to win away all season. Their last point on the road came in September.
With Chorley’s game against Spennymoor abandoned yesterday due to waterlogging, a win for the Bulls here would see them move into the top three – properly exciting – with a batch of league games against Rushall, Darlington and Kings Lynn, all of whom are at the wrong end of the table, coming soon.
That abandonment preceded the sacking of Moors manager Lewis Dickman. The Christmas period has seen the managerial axe wielded with gay abandon at a host of NLN clubs of course, but, unless Dickman controls the weather in Lancashire (which seems unlikely), getting his P45 following an A-A could possibly be the harshest sacking in footballing history.
It’s a long trip to in-form Scarborough after this, back on a plastic pitch, so banking another three points here in what looks to be a considerably more straightforward assignment would take a bit of heat off the trip to Seadog HQ.
And remember, even if it’s still 0-0 on 90 minutes there’s no real cause for concern. It’ll still be won, but 3-0 at half-time would be better for bitten nails and dicky tickers.
Happy new year! 2024 could be a good ‘un.
COYW