 |
| Keiran Phillips Scored Hereford's Winning Goal |
Harwood Bull reports from Southport where Hereford ran out 2-1 winners yesterday afternoon.
Paul Caddis said that today’s result was more important than the performance. It wasn’t pretty but three very welcome points keep us within touching distance of the playoffs. The Bulls are now eighth in the table, but only one point behind Alfreton, Boston and Brackley who are 5th, 6th and 7th respectively.
Hereford were fortunate to go in at half time one up, and then having seemingly made the game safe late in the second half conceded in time added on and survived some uncomfortable moments before finally securing the win.
Once again having to play without wingers, the Bulls lined up in what is now becoming a familiar 5-3-2 formation with three centre backs – Howkins, Downing and Cameron – and the full backs pushed well up to provide some width – Skinner as energetic as ever on the right and Hudson on the left, solid but less of an attacking force. Teixeira featured in midfield as his suspension doesn’t come into effect until next week, Lyden was in for the suspended Mendes, and Babos in the attacking role supporting Williams and Cowley up front. With the squad stretched very thinly, there were only three subs on the bench.
The home side were forced to use one of their subs very early on when Walton went off injured and was replaced by Flowers after only 5 minutes. The early exchanges were unimpressive and not particularly entertaining. Southport moved through the Hereford midfield too easily at times, but the poor quality of their final ball meant that Hereford’s goal wasn’t threatened. Hereford’s build up play was by contrast slow and laborious. We can admire the ambition of building from the back rather than hoofing it forward, but all too often the back line played the ball sideways for several passes before laying it back to Pond for him to hoof it forward.
Cowley was his usual hard working self, but the partnership with Williams didn’t click today, and Williams never really seemed to get into the game. Hereford had a strong shout for a penalty when Lyden appeared to be brought down but the referee waved the appeals away.
Later a couple of chances with the ball bouncing around the Southport box.
Hereford finally broke the deadlock five minutes later when Downing’s cross from the left was headed towards his own goal by a Southport defender. Renshaw, the home keeper, dived on the ball but it squirmed out of his grasp. I couldn’t tell where the ball went from my position but the flag went up immediately and the ref signalled for the goal, ignoring Southport’s furious protests.
Half time: Southport 0 Hereford 1
As is often the way, Hereford came out for the second half and were much better. I don’t know what Caddis says to them during the break but it certainly has an effect. The game was more open and the balance was tipped in the Bulls’ favour when Danny Lloyd received a red card for an off he ball incident with Kyle Howkins. Howkins was on the floor for a couple of minutes, and judging by the chants of “cheat, cheat”, the home crowd thought he was making a meal of it.
Hereford tried to take advantage of the extra man by moving the ball around to create gaps to play through, and although not always successful the game was opening up and both Skinner and Lyden made strong runs at the heart of the home defence. One of those runs ended with Skinner getting a good cross in from the right which flashed across the goal with Teixeira, the shortest man on the pitch, trying to get on the end of it.
On the 78th minute Babos got the ball to Williams who tried a dipping volley from 35 yards out which Renshaw tipped over – he crashed into the post making the save and appeared hurt at first but was able to carry on.
Then a double substitution with Cowley and Willo replaced by Phillips and Rooney. Phillips had a chance to make an impact just two minute later when Renshaw blocked Babos’s low drive, the rebound fell to Phillips, and in front of an open goal he somehow poked the ball straight back to the keeper.
A minute later he flicked a low cross from Hudson just wide of the far post. He finally made amends for his earlier miss when Babos’s pass found him on the left side of the penalty area and he cut inside and finished well with a crisp shot.
That should have put the game to bed but in the second minute of additional time Pond failed to hold Arthur’s low drive from distance and Palmer was on the spot to knock the rebound home.
A few nervous minutes followed but the Bulls held on for a much needed win and three valuable points.
Full time: Southport 1 Hereford 2
Hereford: Pond, Skinner (Southern), Hudson, Teixeira, Lyden, Downing, Babos, Cowley (Phillips 79), Williams (Rooney 79), Cameron, Howkins
The Bulls only had three on the bench
Southport: Renshaw, Thomson, Lloyd, Morgan (c), Carver, Walton, Quansah, Hmami, Arthur, Hockenhull, Philliskirk
Subs: Flowers, Archer, Burgess, Russ, Bennett
A few thoughts: Cowley’s single minded determination is one of the reasons he gets goals, but sometimes he needs to be more aware of his teammates who are in a better position. On one occasion he broke through the middle and had Williams racing into a good position on his right, and releasing the ball into the number ten’s path would have put him in on goal. Instead, he tried to go it alone and the attack fizzled out. The ball found its way to Williams eventually but the advantage had gone.
Man of the match? Hard to say, no-one was really outstanding. The three centre halves were all pretty solid but I think Howkins did well with a couple of strong runs from the back and better use of the ball, so if I was forced to select one, it would be him.
Finally, the biggest disappointment of the day. NO PIES! Last year there was a little stall selling some very tasty individual cottage pies and other good things. No sign of it this year (although I did arrive quite late), just greasy burgers with sweaty onions.
Oh, and the less said about the toilet facilities the better. When will football clubs start to provide adequate amenities for the paying customer?
Harwood Bull