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Hereford FC go cross-country rather than north for a change on Saturday to test their solid away record in Suffolk as they take on Needham Market. Following the Rushall win, this looks like another unbeatable opportunity to bank three points before a run of tricky-looking games throughout December and into the new year.
In September, the Marketmen came to Edgar Street and did a right old job on a Bulls side that had started the season in fairly brittle fashion in front of their own fans. The East Anglians emerged as 1-0 winners but it could easily have been 5-0. However, a lot has changed since then, not least Z-list irritants like Gregg Wallace now keeping wars off the front pages of newspapers.
2430 watched that game, but it’s going
to be closer to 243 for this one. It’s safe to say that the weather won’t be
encouraging too many floaters to turn up either. It’s going to be very similar
there to what’s forecast for Herefordshire - gusty. That could be something of
a spoiler, but the Bulls have proved this season that they can win ugly away
from home when necessary, which could be needed here given the conditions. There won't be any protection from the four-sided 50k capacity wraparound mega-stands at Bloomfields either because they missed the opportunity to build them upon promotion to the National League North, which smacks of a lack of ambition to me.
That Edgar Street win aside, generally Needham have struggled since promotion, lending further evidence to the suggestion that the NLN takes no prisoners, doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and does other stuff that’s irritating if you can’t just buy your way out of it, and even that doesn’t work – hello Brackley. It’s a bit like a non-league prison.
Hereford fans have left Edgar Street this season too often feeling exasperated, understandably, but compared to Needham Market we’ve got off lightly. Saturday’s hosts are different-level rubbish at home. They’ve won one solitary game in ten on their own patch, and lost seven (SEVEN!) of those ten, scoring just seven goals. Last Saturday they drew at home with Scarborough, with playmaker Tevan Allen equalising to secure a much-needed point. It was a result that kept them in second bottom place in the table, and they’ve played a game more than their fellow strugglers.
At this time last year Darlington and Kings Lynn were occupying two of the relegation positions, and even though they continued to do so well into the seasonal red zone you thought they’d find a way to escape, as they did. With Rushall and Needham Market you don’t really have that feeling, and callously it would be good if the Bulls could efficiently contribute to the Suffolk side’s fate in the same way that they did last weekend to Rushall, and bank points before Deadly December. Having said that, such is the contrary nature of this squad that they’ll find a way to make this match more health-compromising for supporters than heroin, and then breeze through Deadly December with ease and bucketfuls of juicy points.
When Paul Caddis mentioned a few weeks ago that he was looking abroad for players, I was thinking more Wales than America, but Declan McGlynn came in prior to last weekend’s Rushall game from a background in playing something called ‘soccer’. Fingers crossed that he takes to his new sport of football. Quite what he’ll make of Needham Market is anyone’s guess. Given his nationality he’ll probably find it ‘quaint’.
Anyway, that’s quite enough casual racism.
Tate Campbell remains suspended but Sammy Robinson’s cameo for the final five minutes on Saturday was smashing to see, and his return will give a huge boost to everyone as the winter programme of games begins.
Andy Williams looks 50/50ish with a hamstring, but Aaron Chapman is now fit and available.
Two late goals put some nice gloss and a goal difference bonus on a performance last Saturday that dripped with positives. Two of the debutants scored, which is always nice, and those new signings Jaiden White and Dylan Mitchell, along with Mr McGlynn, should be available, and should again add an injection of urgency as newbies that was occasionally lacking before their arrival.
Lots of draws elsewhere last weekend helped the Bulls consolidate their league position nicely following that recent enforced lay-off, and they now sit just five points behind Chorley in second place with two games in hand. Also, unlike last season, their goal difference is healthier than most of the teams above them and all of those below. Admittedly the season to date hasn’t been without the odd minor hiccup (see paragraph two above), but there aren’t too many fans who wouldn’t have taken the current league position before a ball was kicked in August.
Finally a word on budgets. It’s encouraging from a Hereford perspective that Curzon Ashton currently sit proudly atop the NLN, looking to emulate Tamworth last season in earning promotion on a shoestring. A lack of money is clearly not necessarily a barrier to advancement, and smart efficiency, tactical nous and team spirit seem to be at least as important as filthy lucre.
There should be plenty of team spirit in the Bulls dressing room for this one following that win last weekend. Here’s hoping that they charge through the Market and don’t get penned in.
COYW