Good time to be a Bull

Back home to Edgar Street for Hereford FC this weekend for what could be the stiffest test of the season so far.

Full-time South Shields are the visitors, looking to go one better this season after narrowly missing out on automatic promotion last time. They’ll also be looking for revenge after losing 2-1 in this fixture in March.

You would have got good odds on two Harrisons scoring two goals for Hereford in this fixture two seasons running before Harrison Sohna’s two stunning strikes last season. Now, however, another brace for Harrison Iwunze to complete that unlikely double doesn’t seem too far-fetched at all. What a waste, incidentally, that Harrison Sohna’s wand of a left peg is rotting on the bench at Woking. Not literally of course – that would be disgusting, and quite unfortunate for the lad.

Rio Clegg turned professional at the age of 24 in midweek with his move from Radcliffe to South Shields. Clegg joins Paul Blackett up top for the Mariners in what looks on paper to be a formidable strike force. However, one thing to bear in mind about the new arrival is that he’s only previously played for small clubs in and around Manchester, and whilst last season’s 26 goals was outstanding, it’s a punt on the part of South Shields that last season wasn’t a one-off at this level. Clegg replaces Sonny Finch, who left for Grimsby recently for a reportedly substantial fee. Along with Clegg, the Mariners have also brought in ex-Rangers and Sunderland winger Jordan Jones.

They’ve got quality throughout. Harrison Iwunze’s now a marked man of course, and his marker in this game will be one of the division’s better centre halves, captain Robbie Tinkler. If the Notts County loanee can get the better of him he’ll be doing well. He’ll have to rapidly become wise to the full range of tricks they teach at NLN Centre Back Dark Arts School.

Cedwyn Scott’s a capable goal-getter, and of course there’s Blackett, scorer of 82 goals in the last three seasons. However, he’s only scored a third of the goals Iwunze’s scored so far, and if that ratio continues and Blackett gets his usual 30, Iwunze will finish the season on 90 goals if his loan at Edgar Street is extended from January to the end of the season.

The full-timers won’t have had the rigmarole of an early start and long coach trip on the day of the match, so should be perfectly well rested after a night in a hotel en route.

On Tuesday night they edged a tight one at home to Marine 2-1, with Blackett getting one of the goals. That win took them up to third in the table, which, if my maths is correct, is nowhere near as good as being first in the table.

Hereford FC are, er, top of the league. Sounds odd, feels really good. Much more of this and there will be more scouts at Bulls games than at a jamboree. Tuesday night’s 3-0 win at Harborough Town, a side who had previously won all their home games, was another excellent whole-team performance marked by the squad’s togetherness and strength as a unit, with the highlight being Cawley Cox getting off the mark for the season. It was good to see all three strikers bag a goal.

The Bulls’ goal led something of a charmed life in the latter stages of the game, something that never seemed to happen last season, but ultimately another clean sheet was secured. That’s five in eight games with only four goals conceded. Contrast that with Spennymoor and Darlington each shipping 18 in what hasn’t been the best of starts for northeastern sides in the division, South Shields excepted, of course.

What a testament that league position is to the diligence and hard work that Aaron Downes and Harry Pell put in over the summer, and what good use they’re making of hugely capable substitutes coming on in games and exploiting opposition tiredness. Everyone truly is playing their part.

This should be another good advert for the division given that South Shields like to play ground-level passing football, and they could well have the majority of possession, so the hosts may have to be patient, close down, chase and harry, and then find Harry. Kam Kandola sitting deep will have a huge role to play in this game. Being good without the ball is something the side has already shown to have in its locker.

Another big crowd looks a certainty, and the momentum of an early goal and the reaction of the crowd to it could deliver a special afternoon. What a happy space we’re in at the moment.

COYW