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| Cawley Cox Scored From The Spot |
Hereford FC v Worcester City in a pre-season friendly.
The Bulls played their third pre-season friendly and first back at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium welcoming Pitching In Southern Football League Premier Central Division side Worcester City looking to build on Friday nights 2-0 defeat at the Everyone's Energy Kayte Lane Stadium against Bishops Cleeve. It was good to be hosting the Blues who along with Worcester Warriors and Junction 6 Limited the owners of Sixways Stadium had helped us so much last season letting us use their facilities to host the two games against Darlington and Chester when the MandM Edgar Street Stadium was unplayable, the friendly was also special in that it was a game that funds we're being raised for two brilliant charities St Michael’s Hospice (Herefordshire) and St Richard's Hospice (Worcestershire).
Fin Holmes who pulled up in the game at Bishops Cleeve on Friday night was as expected not involved with the returning Kyle Howkins coming into the starting XI along with Trialist B from the Bishops Cleeve game thought to be Jordan Williamson who was now Trialist A. There was again a selection of U18's on the bench along with the returning from injury Danny Waldron making his first appearance for the club since his summer move.
It was nice to see Andy Williams taking the warm-ups with Harry Pell on holiday along with Aaron Skinner being involved after injury.
There we're a few former Bulls in the Blues ranks with Mitch Roberts, Matt Richards and Connor Stanley all with the Worcestershire outfit aswell as legendary striker Steve Guinan's son Zac.
The game started with each side trading early possession before Hereford started on the front foot thinking they had opened the scoring after only 2 minutes when Cawley Cox was played through on the right side of the box before the Bulls striker delivered a low cross into the box where Trialist A was on hand to tap in but the goal was ruled out for offside.
First corner of the game went Hereford's way on 6 minutes, Luke Spokes delivered from the left but Blues captain Charlie Wise headed away.
Keziah Martin thought he was then fouled midway inside the Worcester half but the referee played on and the ball rolled to Luke Spokes who saw his first-time effort whistle narrowly past the right post.
20 minutes in and Hereford we're controlling possession but just we're lacking that killer ball in the final third, before shortly afterwards the best chance when Keziah Martin swung in a corner from the right which was met by a combination of Cawley Cox and Kam Kandola but the ball looped harmlessly wide.
On 28 minutes Hereford we're awarded a spot-kick after superb work by Trialist A who with neat feet drove into the box before being upended by Archie Deurden, Cawley Cox cooly despatched the penalty into the bottom-right corner to get his first goal for the club.
5 minutes later and the Bulls doubled their lead after good work from Billy Phillips on the right side of the box before playing a ball across the face where Luke Spokes was on hand to tap into the bottom-left corner before wheeling away. Straight after the goal Harry Jones came on to replace Kam Kandola.
On 39 minutes Kyle Howkins was replaced by Ollie Bradley in the Bulls defence before Hereford saw out the remainder of the half.
It'd been a dominant first-half performance by Hereford with a well taken penalty by Cawley Cox to get his off the mark for his new club and a well worked second by Luke Spokes being the difference between the two sides without the Blues testing Theo Richardson in the Bulls goal.
Half-time: Hereford FC 2-0 Worcester City
The Bulls we're unchanged from the side that ended the first 45 with the visitors coming out with more purpose at the start of the half with their first chance being a throw-in from the right, Harry Burns launched the ball in towards Charlie Wise but Lewis Hudson managed to get his head to the ball before Luke Spokes cleared.
On 49 minutes Worcester pulled a goal back with their first chance of the contest after a corner on the right was delivered by Brandon Smalley finding Will Glennon who's cushioned header was poked in by Luke Rowe.
Hereford responded with a well worked corner from the right by Keziah Martin to Luke Spokes who layed the ball across to Harry Jones before the Bulls youngster saw his curling right foot shot brilliantly tipped over the bar by Worcester goalkeeper Cristiano Dzialuk for a corner before Keziah Martin tried his luck from the edge of area but he could only lift the ball high over the bar.
The Blues' Zac Guinan had a snapshot from the right side of the area which was deflected off Lewis Hudson going narrowly over the bar for a corner before on 59 minutes former Bull Connor Stanley did well on the left flank before playing a good ball to front post where Brandon Smalley instinctively flicked the ball goalwards but it was into the arms of Theo Richardson.
Three minutes later Luke Spokes was replaced by Josh Lloyd before with 65 minutes on the clock Billy Phillips was taken off with Jack Tolley coming on.
On 70 minutes Cawley Cox was replaced by the returning after injury Danny Waldron to make his first appearance in a Hereford shirt before a change between the sticks with Theo Richardson being replaced by Ollie Lewis.
The visitors next chance came from Connor Stanley who twisted and turned inside the box before firing over the bar before further substitutions we're made by the Bulls with Trialist A replaced by Kayode Sahabi, Lewis Hudson for Harley Jones Williams and Keziah Martin made way for Riley Bevan.
Conner Stanley did well before crossing from the left side of the box towards Will Glennon but he couldn't make a clean connection with the ball and it skewed wide before Logan Stoddart crossed from the opposite flank to Will Glennon but his header was wide.
On 83 minutes Preston Bitemo was replaced by Josh Mills before the Blues has a free-kick in a dangerous area on the edge of the box on the left, Glennon stepped up but his drive was straight into the arms of Ollie Lewis.
With two minutes of normal time remaining Harry Jones was replaced by Harry Metcalfe before Ollie Bradley made way for Davyd Antoniuk.
On the stroke of full-time Danny Waldron wrapped up the scoring with a stunner getting his first goal for the club when he saw Cristiano Dzialuk off his line about 35-yards out before lobbing the ball over the stranded Blues goalkeeper.
Despite Worcester coming more into the contest in the second-half Hereford kept them at arms length with all of the U18’s coming on putting in a stellar shift.
Full-time: Hereford FC 3-1 Worcester City
Goals scored by Cawley Cox from the penalty-spot with his first goal for the club, Luke Spokes and Danny Waldron with his first goal for the club.
Hereford FC Starting XI:- 1 Theo Richardson, 3 Lewis Hudson ©️, 4 Kam Kandola, 7 Keziah Martin, 9 Cawley Cox, 14 Luke Spokes, 15 Trialist A, 17 Joseph James, 20 Preston Bitemo, 23 Billy Phillips, 28 Kyle Howkins.
Substitutes:- 10 Danny Waldron, 21 Ollie Lewis, 24 Jack Tolley, Harry Jones, Ollie Bradley, Josh Lloyd, Harry Metcalfe, Kayode Sahabi, Davyd Antoniuk, Harley Jones Williams, Riley Bevan, Josh Mills.
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| Captain Lewis Hudson With The Autopark Trophy |
Another good runout in the third pre-season fixture of the campaign and our first back at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium aswell as a first victory which saw the Bulls collect the inaugural Autopack trophy.
Back at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium next up for the fourth pre-season friendly against Enterprise National League side Solihull Moors. COYW
Words by Sam Cummins