BN's report on yesterday's FA Trophy tie comes from Block A.
A strong Hereford starting XI attacked the Blackfriars End in the first half with the now relatively familiar closed-off Len Weston Stand as a backdrop. With the loan keeper Donaghy in goal, Hudson and Bartley were at left and right back respectively, and Derricott slotted in to the right side of Preston to complete the back four. Teixeira and Campbell patrolled the centre of the park, Matwasa was given the left flank, Rose the right, and the line-up was complete with the veteran strike partnership of Williams and Rooney up top.
There was an early scare in the 2nd minute when a mix-up in the Hereford defence almost presented a golden opportunity for the visitors, before Derricott just-about headed the ball back to the keeper with a Brentwood attacker lurking. Derricott managed to get involved on several occasions in the first five minutes to get his game up and running. The first clear-cut chance of the game fell to Brentwood when Jesse Olukolu found himself in space on the right-hand side of the area, before hitting a well struck shot, which was thankfully at a saveable height for Donaghy, who parried the ball away from danger, diving to his right.
There was some fluidity in the Hereford shape, with Teixeira able to drop into the left back slot whenever Hudson found himself further up field. First half chances were limited for both teams, with Rooney volleying wide with a long range effort in the 19th minute. A few minutes later the tenacious Matwasa engaged in a chaotic one man game of pinball with seemingly the entire Brentwood defence; the rules of this little game within a game seemed to be that no one was allowed to kick the ball in the direction they intended. Hereford conceded two free kicks in dangerous crossing areas just outside the box during the first half, neither resulting any real alarm.
The game had to wait until the 38th minute for the half’s stand out moment of quality when Rooney and Williams combined in a central position, the latter silkily bringing the ball down to create time to get a shot off that was blocked at the cost of a corner. Brentwood, who ply their trade two levels below Hereford in the Isthmian League North Division, entered this game sitting 10th in said league, the only stand out of their season so far being a +12 goal difference.
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| Tate Campbell Is Brought Down |
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| The Brentford Player Had To Be Subbed As He Had Dislocated His Shoulder |
As the half time whistle blew, though, you could have been mistaken for thinking this was a National League North match, as Brentwood were more than comfortable with their task so far. Half time saw one change D’Ath enter the fray in place of Rooney.
The second half started with Hereford restricted to a long-range effort by Bartley, which Minter in the Brentwood goal watched clear the crossbar. Campbell was presented with the best chance of the game on the 54th minute whenawell-timed pass set him free on the right; his on-target shot was smothered away for a corner by the keeper, diving low to his left.
Ceesay entered the pitch in the 61st minute as Williams’ replacement, initially starting in a central role before inevitably drifting out to the left; his introduction inevitably increased the tempo of Hereford’s play. Hereford seemed to be in the ascendancy with little apparent danger from the visitors, but in truth the half was drifting along, interrupted by the customary attendance announcement. The club were rewarded for lowering their prices with a quite decent turnout of 1442, including a noisy 90 fans from Essex housed in Block D.
As the game entered the final ten minutes and with Hereford trying to get attacking momentum, the sucker punch came from a Hereford mistake on the edge of the Brentwood box. Teixeira, with his head up in an attacking position, attempted to play the ball out wide to Matwasa, but it was easily intercepted by Brentwood, who quickly and effectively got the ball to the right. On the half way line, a probing pass down the right flank set their winger away, who played an excellent low cross that evaded the Hereford defence, before finding Viavada at the far post, who confidently swept the ball home. It was the move of the match and proved decisive.
Hereford still had time with what remained of the ninety together with the additional five minutes of added on time. However, Hereford’s cause was made much harder when Campbell was sent off for kicking out at his Brentwood opponent; frustration got the better of him, perhaps through a combination of going behind and Brentwood doing their homework and keeping him under close supervision throughout the game. The game was competitive, but seldom dirty.
Despite being down to ten men, and with time running out, there is always going to be one more chance. Despite Cowley being on the bench and looking a bundle of energy last time out after a long layoff, with his comeback being carefully managed, Hereford did make a late attacking change, sacrificing Derricott at the back with Howkins coming on to play up front. Hereford did get that chance in the 92nd minute when Ceesay teed up Howkins in the centre of the box following one of his trademark breaks down the left; alas, given close attention by a defender, which in fairness is his day job, Howkins couldn’t connect with just the keeper between him and the Meadow End goal.
Brentwood saw the last few minutes out before celebrating with their fans who were having the best reward for their impressive support. Up the other end, Hereford had to contend with clapping a by nowlargely-deserted home end. You could argue that Brentwood had played a convincing role of that classic cup team from a higher level soaking up whatever the home team could throw at them before clinically getting the job done just in time to get their coach nice and warm for the return home.
Bartley was deservedly awarded man of the match by the Executive Club, never an easy task in a game that didn’t go as planned; any momentum though often came from him including one particularly impressive driving run. The recent news that his loan has been extended until January is obviously very welcome.
If you are looking for positives, there didn’t appear to be any injuries, youngster Derricott had a good game, and with Hereford already out of the FA Cup, they only have the league to focus on. Beyond that, £400 was bagged by one lucky fan in the Golden Goal, timed at 81:40 to be precise. Given the size of the squad, highlighted by the strength of today’s starting lineup, that is possibly a blessing. They say, though, that after a defeat, the best medicine is to get back out there and put it right; with that in mind, and with the league the only show in town, bring on Tuesday.
Hereford: Donaghy, Bartley,
Derricott, Preston, Hudson, Campbell, Teixeira, Rose, Matwasa, Rooney,
Williams. Subs: Horton, Howkins, D’Ath, Ceesay, Cowley.