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Bedford Town v Hereford FC in the Enterprise National League North.
The Bulls were back to the bread and butter of the Enterprise National League North and a visit to The Eyrie Stadium to take on Bedford Town following their exit out of the Emirates FA Cup at the 2nd Qualifying Round stage last Saturday.
After the shock cup defeat there were two changes with Harrison Iwunze and Kyle Howkins both starting, new loan signing from Notts County Kameron Muir was on the bench along with Joe Willis for the second successive week whilst former Bull Eno Nto was on the bench for the hosts.
With only two minutes played there was a stoppage in play just inside the Hereford half when a ball by Luke Spokes caught Eagles’ Greg Taylor in the face.
A long ball over the top by Taylor was latched onto by Louie Kudiabor who held off the challenge of Kyle Howkins but miscued his shot and the ball harmlessly ran through to Theo Richardson.
The first opportunity came from Hereford on the 15 minute mark with Aaron Skinner doing well down the left, before he clipped the ball to the back post where Preston Bitemo was waiting but he put his header wide and it rippled the side netting.
With 20 minutes gone Hereford had dictated the play with the Eagles mainly threatening on the counter-attack.
On 33 minutes Joseph James swung a delicious cross in from the right which just evaded the head of Billy Phillips at the back post.
Four minutes later Phillips went on a mazy run towards the edge of the box before he was upended by Bedford captain Josh Castiglione, Spokes stepped up with his curling strike whistling just over the top of the left-corner and clipped the left stanchion behind the goal.
The Eagles’ Lewis Franklin fizzed a cross from the left which was missed by Skinner before finding David Hicks who was free on the edge with his stinging first-time drive brilliantly blocked by Will Merrett.
On the stroke of half-time a free-kick on the right for Hereford after Preston Bitemo was fouled by Franklin, Spokes swung the set-piece in towards the back post but Merrett was adjudged to have climbed over Tarik Gidaree and a foul was given by referee Chay Hathway meaning it was goalless at the break.
Half-time: Bedford Town 0-0 Hereford FC
At the break Ex-Bull Eno Nto came on as a substitute for the Eagles.
Early in the second-half a ball in from the right by James was headed high up in the air by Waldron with the ball going towards the byline before it went off Bedford goalkeeper Laurie Walker for a corner after Waldron challenged him.
From the resulting corner Hereford almost gained the lead after it was floated in by Spokes before being flicked goalwards by Waldron at the front post only to be beaten away by the outstretched right hand of Walker.
On 52 minutes the Bulls broke the deadlock, Waldron hooked the ball onto Bitemo who delivered an inviting ball across the face of the box which Iwunze got on the end of to tap in to continue his imperious form grabbing his eighth goal for the club.
After taking the lead Hereford pushed for more, firstly Phillips’ shot was palmed away by the Bedford shot-stopper before the ball was recycled out to Phillips again who crossed into the danger zone for Waldron to head goalwards only to be once again be denied by Walker who tipped over the crossbar.
Spokes then played a defence splitting ball through the heart of the Eagles defence to Phillips on the edge of the box and with the goal gaping the winger dragged his effort wide of the left hand post.
A short corner on the left was picked up by the probing Spokes who flashed a strike narrowly over the crossbar.
Bedford almost got back on level terms after Nto beat Howkins down the left before drilling the ball across goal only to be stabbed over the crossbar from 2-yards by the onrushing George Moncur.
On 72 minutes Bitemo made way after it looked like he had picked up a knock to be replaced by Jordan Williamson before 7 minutes later Spokes was substituted for Kameron Muir to make his debut.
The Bulls almost got the second goal they craved to make proceeding more comfortable when a corner from the left was played in by Phillips and was met by a bullet header from Iwunze only for Walker to be equal to it palming the ball away.
On 88 minutes the Bulls had a free-kick 25-yards out which was taken by Phillips who's curling strike flew narrowly over the crossbar.
With 5 minutes of additional time announced Iwunze was through before poking the ball onto Williamson but it just ran on through for a goal-kick before Bedford went up the other end through Castiglione who saw his low effort from the edge of the box comfortably collected by Richardson low to his left.
Bedford threw Walker up for a corner on the left with Castiglione curling the ball in eventually falling to Moncur who saw his shot blocked by Merrett.
However in the 4th minute of the allotted 5 the Eagles snatched a last gasp equaliser when Castiglione beat three yellow shirts near the right corner flag before crossing into the box, the ball ricocheted around before Reece Evans guided it into the bottom-left corner.
Full-time: Bedford Town 1-1 Hereford FC
Goal scored by Harrison Iwunze.
Hereford FC:- 1 Theo Richardson, 2 Aaron Skinner, 4 Kam Kandola ©️, 5 Will Merrett, 10 Danny Waldron, 14 Luke Spokes, 17 Joseph James, 19 Harrison Iwunze, 20 Preston Bitemo, 23 Billy Phillips, 28 Kyle Howkins.
Substitutes:- 6 Joe Willis, 9 Cawley Cox, 15 Jordan Williamson, 18 Liam Roberts, 21 Ollie Lewis, 24 Jack Tolley, 30 Kameron Muir.
Attendance 1432 (444 away)
A shame we couldn't claim the extra two points and gutting to concede right at the death but it's another point on the board. The result also sees us still two points clear at the top of the Enterprise National League North aswell as bouncing back from the early exit in the Emirates FA Cup.
Despite the best efforts of the club to try to bring a game forward to next Saturday after the exit out of the Emirates FA Cup the Bulls have a week off next week with the next game in a fortnight's time back at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium with the visit of newly promoted Hednesford Town. COYW
Words: Sam Cummins