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It was the same side that beat South Shields with there six changes from Tuesday night with Aaron Skinner, Lawson D'Ath, George Munday, Cormac Daly, Keziah Martin and Kyle Howkins coming into the starting XI with Matt Preston, Mikey Lane, Andy Williams, Justin Donawa, Joseph James and Harry Tustin dropping to the bench. Former Bulls loanee Sam Osborne wasn't in the squad for the Reds.
It was a disastrous start for the Bulls with eleven seconds in when a long ball from Alfreton's on loan Burnley keeper Charlie Casper wasn't dealt with by Aaron Skinner and Kyle Howkins allowing Lewis Salmon to nip in and calmly slot the ball into the bottom right corner to give the hosts the lead.
Hereford's first chance came on 2 minutes from a free kick on the edge of the box, Harrison Sohna’s curling left footed shot was comfortably saved by Charlie Casper.
Lawson D'Ath had the next effort for the Bulls with a rasping left foot drive which was again collected by Charlie Casper.
The hosts had a couple of long throws on the right deep inside the Hereford half which we're launched into the box by Adam Lund fortunately coming to nothing, tactically slowing the game down at every opportunity.
The lively Cormac Daly went on a good run down the left flank, driving into the box before attempting to cross to the front post but Adam Lund got his body in the way.
The Bulls worked the ball well from left to right across the box with Cormac Daly on the left playing the ball to Lawson D'Ath who fed the ball out to Harrison Sohna who shifted the ball onto his left foot inside the area but his shot fizzed high over the bar with 15 minutes gone.
Alfreton's Nathan Newall put in a strong needless challenge by the left touchline on Cormac Daly, forcing him over the advertising hoardings which saw him receiving a yellow card. With the ball going out of play the challenge was totally unnecessary and dangerous, a scuffle ensued.
George Munday then had an effort which appeared to take a nick off Max Hunt on its way to looping over the bar but the referee gave a goal kick.
23 minutes the hosts Max Hunt from about 30 yards out had a half volley which fizzed over the bar.
Alfreton had another long throw from the left which was again launched into the box by Adam Lund which was headed away on the penalty spot by Keenan Quansah but only as far as the Reds’ Kieran Freeman on the edge of the box who's shot was well blocked by Quansah before finding George Cantrill who played the ball across to the left to Nathan Newell who's thunderous left foot drive crashed off the crossbar.
Harrison Sohna played a great ball out to Cormac Daly on the left, he cut in on his right but his effort was comfortably saved by Charlie Casper.
The Bulls we're starting to move the ball around better on the half hour mark with Lawson D'Ath having an effort on the edge of the box with his right which was collected by Charlie Casper.
Alfreton had another long throw on the right, Adam Lund played a one-two to Nathan Newell before he found Gerry McDonagh who's effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by Keenan Quansah before Nathan Newell had a left footed drive from the edge of the box which Theo Richardson got fingertips to tip over the bar for a corner.
From the resulting corner on left, Bayley McCann pumped the ball to the back post finding Gerry McDonagh who’s cushioned header to the edge of the box found Billy Fewster who laid the ball off to Kai Lissimore who had time to pick his spot and curl the ball into the top left corner to double the Reds lead on 36 minutes.
The hosts had a free kick on the edge of the box on the left, curled right footed by Billy Fewster which bounced just in front of Theo Richardson before he collected.
With 2 minutes of additional time announced, the final chance of the half come from the hosts who had a corner on the right, Kieran Freeman swung the ball in right footed which was headed away by Keenan Quansah.
The 2-0 scoreline was on the balance of play deserved for the hosts at the break who we're more physical and aggressive, the Bulls not being able to deal with their dangers facing an uphill task in the second half.
HT Alfreton Town 2-0 Hereford FC
The hosts had a free kick to start the second half near the left byline, Kieran Freeman’s ball to the back post finding Billy Fewster who's effort whistled just wide of the right post.
Three minutes in they had a corner on the left, Kieran Freeman’s delivery to the far post headed high in the air by Freddy Willcox before the ball was collected by Theo Richardson.
Hereford’s Cormac Daly fizzed a good cross low to the front post which found George Munday who's flicked effort just whistled wide of the right post which was the Bulls’ first chance of the second period before George Cantrill found Bayley McCann on the left inside the box who whipped a low cross across the face of the box which Theo Richardson managed to tip away.
The Reds then had half a shout for a penalty with Kieran Freeman going down inside the box under the challenge of George Munday which we're waved away.
Freeman was involved again shortly afterwards when he delivered a free kick from the left which was whipped in just evading Max Hunt at the back post and the ball tricked out for a goal kick.
Lewis Hudson sent in a lofted high cross from the left into the box but it was comfortably collected by Charlie Casper before on 62 minutes substitute Mikey Lane had an effort which whistled past the right post.
6 minutes later Hereford pulled a goal back after Kyle Howkins’ long ball was latched onto by George Munday, he advanced into the box with Charlie Casper coming out to try to narrow the angle but Munday shifted the ball onto his left foot taking it round him, with Casper out of his goal he slotted into an empty net despite the Burnley youngester putting him under pressure with a sliding challenge.
Lewis Salmon had an effort from the left which was collected by Theo Richardson.
The Bulls had a corner on the right, Harrison Sohna delivered to the back post which Lewis Hudson rose above Kieran Freeman but his header was collected by Charlie Casper.
Now with our tails up on the search for an equaliser we we're the side on the front foot with Alfreton sitting deep, a corner on the right which Harrison Sohna played into the front post but Kyle Howkins just couldn't get any meaningful contact on the delivery.
The Bulls we're awarded a free kick midway inside the half on the left on around 77 minutes, Harrison Sohna clipped the ball into the back post but Kyle Howkins’ header looped just wide. Freddy Willcox then had a lifted effort which was collected by Charlie Casper.
With four minutes of regular time remaining, the Bulls continued in the search of an equaliser which on the second half display would of been deserved. Cormac Daly cut in from the left to the edge of the box before flashing his right footed shot over the bar.
The board went up to signal four minutes of additional time, Lawson D'Ath threaded a neat ball through to George Munday who had beaten Charlie Casper taking the ball round him and putting his effort goalwards but Max Hunt superbly cleared off the line.
Mikey Lane did well to play the ball into Harrison Sohna but his ball missed Lawson D'Ath and was cleared by the hosts.
Deep into additional time the Bulls we're awarded a free kick on the right touchline, Theo Richardson made his way into the box for virtually the last kick off the game in a attempt for a equaliser at the death. Harrison Sohna delivered towards the front post finding Andy Williams who tried to flick the ball on which looped high up in the air which was scrambled clear by the Reds defence before the full time whistle.
A spirited and better second half display by Hereford which was dominated by the Bulls and could of seen us snatch a point but unfortunately it wasn't to be and the first half cost us.
FT Alfreton Town 2-1 Hereford FC
Goal scored by George Munday.
Hereford FC Starting XI:- 1 Theo Richardson, 2 Aaron Skinner, 3 Lewis Hudson ©️, 6 Lawson D'Ath, 8 Harrison Sohna, 14 Keenan Quansah, 16 George Munday, 18 Cormac Daly, 20 Keziah Martin, 26 Freddy Willcox and 28 Kyle Howkins.
Substitutes:- 5 Matt Preston, 9 Mikey Lane, 10 Andy Williams, 12 Justin Donawa, 21 Ollie Lewis, 25 Joseph James and 27 Harry Tustin.
Following on from Tuesday night's defeat to leaders AFC Fylde with only a day between that game and tonights in Derbyshire Hereford fell to back-to-back defeats in the relegation six-pointer and our third under the stewardship of Aaron Downes and Harry Pell. The wait for a Hereford FC win at the Solana Stadium goes on without one in now seven National League North visits with the two previous victories coming when Hereford United visited North Street back in August 2012 claiming a 3-0 victory in the Blue Square Bet Premier and all the way back in October 2005 when the Bulls we're victorious after a replay which went to penalties in the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.
The games continue to come at pace with our fourth game in eight days when we're back on the road in two days time with a visit to the Leasing.com Stadium to take on Macclesfield FC which will be the first visit since October 2013 when Hereford United suffered a 1-0 defeat against the Silkmen in the Skrill Premier. COYW
Words by Sam Cummins