Continuing BN's look back to the 2008/9 season, Hereford made the long trip to Brighton and came back with a point.
A look back to October 18th 2008.
Seagulls held by Battling Bulls
Hereford United gained a credible point at the Withdean Stadium this afternoon against Brighton and Hove Albion. Glenn Murray went close for Brighton in the first-half, whilst Hereford's Kris Taylor had the away side's best chance in the second-half with a free-kick in front of 5608 supporters.
Suspension to Stephen O'Leary allowed Clint Easton to take his place in midfield, with Kris Taylor slotting into the middle alongside Toumani Diagouraga. Surprisingly, Sam Gwynne was also included with Bradley Hudson-Odoi demoted to the bench. The hosts named former Welsh international Robbie Savage in their starting eleven, whilst former Bulls' loanee Joe Anyinsah started on the right-wing.
Brighton had the better of the early exchanges, with a long-ball forward sitting up nicely for Dean Cox who struck a half-volley goalwards, but Darren Randolph held with ease. At the other end, Richard Rose found himself well forward and tried his luck, with his shot deflecting over. A cross from the left by Cox saw Murray's deft touch fall wide before the former Carlisle and Rochdale man should have opened his account for the day. Rose misplaced a header and Murray pounced running in on goal, but his shot across Randolph was pushed past the far post by the Irish 'keeper. Andy Williams neat touch and shot from Richard Jackson's throw-in called home goalie Michael Kuipers into action, holding onto the ball well. Cox and Matthew Richards were both denied by Randolph after shots from the edge of the box, whilst Rose struck from long-range, but again failed to trouble Kuipers.
The Bulls started the second-half well with Gwynne finding space 25 yards before tamely shooting goalwards, but Kuipers saved easily. Good work down the right-hand side from Steve Guinan saw him cross into the box; the ball was cleared but only as far as Taylor who tried his luck with an acrobatical effort which fell wide of Kuiper's post. Kevin Thornton and Kevin McLeod were introduced in place of Cox and right-back Andrew Whing as the home side looked to increase the productivity in the final third. Instead though, it was Hereford who continued to threaten. Kris Taylor had two free-kicks in dangerous positions; the first saw a curling effort from the left fall over the bar, before minutes later, from the other side, Taylor forced Kuipers to tip over his effort from 20 yards. Karl Broadhurst headed over from an Easton corner after rising well in the area, with the former Bournemouth man perhaps feeling he could have done better with the chance.
Anyinsah used his pace and skill to beat Bruno N'Gotty before shooting wildly into the Withdean wilderness, whilst soon after, he had a penalty appeal turned down. The Preston loanee tried to meet a Thornton low cross but he went down after tussling with N'Gotty; strong appeals were heard from the home crowd but the referee waved played on. Nick Chadwick and Hudson-Odoi were bought on to replace striking duo Williams and Guinan, and both were involved as Hereford squandered a fine chance to nick the points. A short back-pass was only just dealt with bu Kuipers under pressure from Hudson-Odoi, and the ball fell to Chadwick, but the former Everton youngster saw a shot blocked as did Easton who tried his luck on the rebound. In the final moments, Brighton rallied but to little avail with two efforts from Thornton straight at Randolph.
A draw seems the fair result, although reflecting on the game Hereford may be slightly disappointed not to have snatched the points. Easton looked assured on the left-hand side, serving his defensive duties well whilst Williams looked a menace up front with some neat touches and runs. The clean sheet will be welcomed, but the problem appears to be up front, with Hereford failing to score from open play in the league since September 5th, when Hudson-Odoi scored against Swindon. Next up for The Bulls is a home match against Carlisle on Tuesday.
Hereford: Randolph, Jackson, Broadhurst, N'Gotty, Rose, Gwynne, Diagouraga, Taylor, Easton, Guinan, Williams.
Subs: Samson, Beckwith, Smith, Hudson-Odoi, Chadwick.
Brighton: Kuipers, Whing, El-Abd, Hawkins, Richards, Cox, Savage, Thomson, Anyinsah, Virgo, Murray.
Subs: Fraser, Robinson, Livermore, Thornton, McLeod.
Hard Earned Point - Broadhurst
Hereford
United's captain Karl Broadhurst admiited in a post match interview
that today's draw at Brighton had given the Bulls a hard earned point.
"We
knew it was going to be a difficult place to come. It's a strange
stadium with a very tight pitch," Broadhurst told BBC Hereford and
Worcester.
"We came with a game plan to try and frustrate them and maybe hit them on the break and I think it worked quite well.
"Towards the end we had some good chances to maybe nick all three points."
Interviewer Keith Hall thought Kris Taylor had one of his best games for Hereford today.
"Kris done very well today," said Broadhurst.
"He's had a run of games when he's done well.
"I
think Kris would say his consistency was the big thing with him last
year. He would have a couple of good games then be sloppy in other
games.
"The management have got hold of him and said you can play
a major part in the team this year. We need to rely on you a bit more
and I think he has taken that on board.
"The way he goes about in training he starts right from the start and it's paid dividends.
"He
had a very good game today, marshelled the midfield very well and a
good partnership with Toumani. They negated Savage who is an experienced
player and he never really did anything in the game."
Coach Travel to Brighton Next Time
You
have to go to Brighton to appreciate the constraints their football
club has to work under. And having been there you will realise that
whatever some people might say about Edgar Street, it's a better stadium
and in a better position than Brighton's.
Planning problems, not
helped by a difficult council, have stopped a move to a new ground for
the Seagulls. Their move to the Withdean Stadium was meant to be
temporary but they've now been there for a decade or so.
A new stadium is planned but as a local policeman said he'll believe it when he sees it.
Going
to the game by car, you are directed to a park and ride site. But it's
not a site, they close a road and park the cars across the one side of
it. A bus then takes you for a tour of a leafy suburb and eventually
lands up at the stadium.
However, just to complicate matters, the
return bus leaves from a different spot. Whilst waiting for what seemed
an eternity (probably no more than fifteen minutes) the HUISA coach
sails by and there's just the thought would it have been easier to have
gone with them.
The cost to Brighton of the park and ride coaches
and extra stewards must make a dent in their income. Probably why they
need to charge £20 for an adult ticket in the away end.
Yesterday
was a sunny and, for the time of year, reasonably warm day. Especially
if you were sat on certain sides of the ground. But as the sun dipped
behind the trees the away end soon cooled with the loss of the nature's
warmth from the sky. What it would be like on a cold wet winter's
evening doesn't bear thinking about.
And it is true you are sat
thirty yards or so behind a running track. Trying to watch play at the
far end of the stadium was difficult.
Still the day wasn't without some 'comedy'.
Andy
Williams bringing two pairs of boots onto the pitch for the warmup,
Robbie Savage being taunted about how he had dropped down to a club like
Brighton, the Fun Bus crew nearly missing the start of the match
because they had firstly gone for a paddle on Brighton beach and then
found a pub which had Weston's Cider on tap and certain songs about
holding hands.