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| Jaiden White's spot kick saw Hereford through |
A bare-bones Hereford side managed to scrape through to the FA Trophy fourth round by beating Radcliffe 4-2 on penalties with the game level at 1-1 after full-time.Hereford, without key players such as the injured Kyle Howkins and Remaye Campbell, as well as Omari Sterling-James who could be leaving Edgar Street, could name only three outfield players on the bench. It was pleasing to see Jaiden White named in the starting XI for the first time since returning to Edgar Street on loan.
While the visitors took the lead in the first half which they dominated as Rick Smith bundled the ball home from a poorly-defended corner, Sam Osborne's penalty in an improved second half forced the game to penalties, in which keeper Theo Richardson proved to be Hereford's hero as he saved two spot kicks.
With the pitch arguably looking better than what some Hereford fans may have feared, Radcliffe's management made it clear from their arrival that the game should be postponed, with the four corners of the pitch covered with sand.
With the game happening whether Radcliffe liked it or not, they switched ends having won the toss. Attacking the Blackfriars End in the first half, they caused an early scare for the hosts as David Ball intercepted Lewis Hudson's header back to Richardson, though he couldn't find the target after pulling the trigger.
But despite an early corner going Hereford’s way after pressure from Andy Williams, which Radcliffe ably coped with, they were soon, once again, on the back foot early at home as Radcliffe drew first blood.
A needless corner was conceded by Richardson as he got his fingertips to a low shot from winger Michael Afuye going yards wide of his goal, but poor defending saw Rick Smith find the back of the net with only nine minutes on the clock.
Already facing an uphill battle against a side near the top of the National League North table until recently, Wigan Athletic loanee K'Marni Miller caused chaos as his downward header at the back post from a Afuye cross fell into a crowded area, though Hereford were able to clear.
Though the Bulls had the ball in the back of the net courtesy of lone striker Andy Williams, who was deemed to be offside as he turned home a White cross, Radcliffe kept up the pressure.
Hereford slowly started to grow into the game as the game edged towards the half-hour mark, which is a worrying trend at home, Jaiden White was hacked down by Olly Thornley whose woefully late sliding tackle earned him a yellow card from referee Sam Read.
Midfield workhorse Gus Mafuta had a low shot from 25 yards saved by keeper Mark Halstead diving down to his left, before Jaiden White threatened. He beat the panicking Thornley as he twisted his way into the box from the right, though his low shot was palmed behind for an anticlimactic Lawson D’ath corner from the right.
That was as exciting as the first half got for Hereford fans, with Radcliffe then going close through an inswinging Danny Greenfield corner but Richardson punched clear underneath the crossbar. There was then a sustained period of pressure up until the end of the half, in which D'Ath was somehow booked for a clean foul on Matt Sargent, a product of Wrexham's youth set-up.Half time: Hereford 0 - Radcliffe 1
With Hereford looking to be heading out of the FA Trophy unless they put in an improved second-half performance, they did have a spark after the restart. While one penalty shout came in the 48th minute as Osborne's cross looked to have hit a Radcliffe hand, two minutes later the referee did point to the spot.
It came after a sterling run from I-Lani Edwards, picking up the ball in his own half before turning and running cross-field. The Bulls then worked the ball from left to right before Aaron Skinner was upended as he burst into the box. With Osborne stepping up in front of the long-since demolished Blackfriars End, he smashed the spot-kick down the middle as the keeper dived to his right.
The Bulls looked to have an ounce more confidence having found an equaliser and buoyed by some noise finally coming from the crowd of 1,105. Hudson should have done better as he fired over the bar from outside the area and the hosts then saw a Richardson free kick from inside his half culminating in a rasping cross-cum-shot from White which missed the target.Radcliffe then found themselves with three bookings in quick succession, including Greenfield for delaying taking a corner and Willo being sumo-wrestled to the floor by goalscorer Smith; just as he brought down a Richardson free-kick and turned on a sixpence to rifle a shot towards goal. His fitness cannot be questioned, mind.
From the resulting free kick, Osborne stepped up in Sterling-James's absence and, while he beat the five-man wall, his curling effort was too high for the top corner where he was aiming.
As a rattled Radcliffe looked to calm, D’Ath popped up with a powerful strike off target in the 71st minute to keep them on their toes. Chances followed as, having flown out of his area, Halstead was beaten to the ball by Osborne; but with the goal gaping, his cross-cum-shot drifted wide having been just inches too far in front of the onrushing Willo.
As the game looked destined to head to penalties, a flurry of Radcliffe changes could have stopped that thought. Luke Partington, having replaced Ball, laid the ball off to fellow substitute Jordan Hulme but he was denied by a fingertip Richardson save.There was a final chance for the hosts in the first minute of four added on, with Afuye's corner into Hereford's box turned towards goal by Sargent but was denied by the foot of the upright.
Full time: Hereford 1 - Radcliffe 1
With spot kicks now deciding the side to make it through to Monday's fourth-round draw, Hudson opted for penalties in front of the Blackfriars End having won the toss.
With Hereford up first, Osborne duly converted his second penalty of the winter's afternoon before Richardson pulled off a fine save to deny Rick Smith.
For the second, Skinner found the top corner while Jon Taylor buried his,
before D'Ath and Afuye both confidently converted the thirds.
With Andy Williams up next, he saw his tame spot kick saved but Richardson then denied Greenfield to set White up with what could be the decider.
The Sutton United winger made no mistake in finding the top corner, meaning Hereford won 4-2 on penalties.
Attendance: 1,105 (26 away)Sponsors' man of the match: Sam Osborne
The penalty shoot-out made for a slightly exciting end to a dreary afternoon at Edgar Street. A pitch which has clearly seen better days, a team which is guilty of not playing as a team, and an immobile, vulnerable defence could lead to a very long season. That said, £4,500 in prize money on top of the £3,750 earned after beating Sudbury will at least aid Paul Caddis's recruitment efforts - or some drain repairs...
Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Quansah, Preston, Hudson, Mafuta, D'Ath, White, Edwards (Nto 73'), Osbourne, Williams.
Subs not used: Lewis, Richards, Rooney
Radcliffe: Halstead, Roscoe, Smith, Thornley (Hulme 75'), Miller (Park 82'), Afuye, Glendon, Greenfield, Sargent, Hope (Taylor 75'), Ball (Partington 75')
Sub not used: Hewlet
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