Double deflection deflates Bulls
Two deflected goals by Magno Silva Viera gave a huge helping hand to Carlisle United as they defeated Hereford United 3-1 at Brunton Park this afternoon. An own goal by Lee Andrews had handed the Bulls a first half lead but early in the second Peter Murphy gave Carlisle the victory.
Hereford made numerous changes to the squad that drew with Woking last weekend. Captain Tony James didn't travel, as previously rumoured and Lee Mills was also absent. Ben Scott made his first start in the Conference in goal and Tamika Mkandawire returned in place of James after a three match ban. Jamie Pitman recovered from a back injury and debutised for Graham Hyde and Mark Robinson was preffered to Danny Williams. Karl Lewis was the sub goalkeeper.
Brown had the first chance of the game after two minutes when Hereford signalled their intentions. Adam Stansfield collected the ball after a good Hereford move and layed on for Brown whose twenty yard shot was saved well by Matt Glennon. Soon after at the other end Chris Billy had a shot over the bar after a scramble in the box. Murphy then forced Scott into his first save of the game, diving low to his right.
Captain Kevin Gray had a good header just over the bar following a cross from Chris Lumsdon minutes before United took the lead. David Brown did well to break into the area and his shot was well saved by Glennon, but the ball fell to Adam Stansfield whose shot hit Andrews and found its way into the back of the net.
Captain Andy Tretton got a touch on Pitman's free kick and triggered a scramble in the Carlisle box before Pitman's shot was blocked and cleared. Brown went close again with a shot from the edge of the box that Glennon gathered at the second attempt. Ryan Green overlapped well and latched onto Brown's through ball into the area, but Glennon again saved well to deny Green.
Then, four minutes before half time, disater struck for the Bulls. Murphy supplied another dangerous cross and Viera met the ball with his head and it deflected off Tretton and beyond the reach of Scott. A minute later a freak goal handed Carlisle the lead. Viera hammered a thirty yard effort towards goal and it took a wicked deflection off Mkandawire that wrong footed Scott and found the bottom corner. Hereford would have found it hard to beleive they were behind at the interval, having easily matched their hosts.
Two minutes into the second period the Whites found themselves further behind again as their opponents rampaged. A break down the right resulted in a cross that went all the way across goal and found Brendan McGill on the edge of the box and he made no mistake in finding the back of the net for 3-1.
Hereford tried to break down Carlisle, they had plenty of possesion but the Cumbrian side were too solid and organised at the back for the Bulls get through. Williams replaced Green and Simon Travis moved to right back to accomodate the sub. Hereford did get some oppotunities, but Carlisle coped with everything that United tried. Man of the Match Mkandawire headed Pitman's free kick over and Stansfield had an effort from outside of the box saved.
Mkandawire blocked Andrews twenty five yard drive before Travis crossed for Brown, who looked as if he was being held back but the referee gave a free kick the other way. The 6,400 or so home fans in a crowd of 6,772 thought their side should have had a penatly when Tretton appeared to handball and then moments later the away fans thought the same after a blantant push on Stansfield.
Second half sub Andy Preece went close from twenty yards as Carlisle searched for a fourth. Brown got a lucky break off a defender following a right wing cross by Williams, but he was denied by a good saving challenge by Gray late on.
The result may be a little harsh on Hereford who really didn't play too badly and seemed to enjoy a lot of the possesion. The two deflected goals in quick succession were pure bad luck ; had Hereford gone in at the break in the lead, as they deserved, then the game could have been totally different. Hereford need all of their players back to full fitness for the game in two weeks against top of the table Barnet in order to change their form around. The Bulls have collected a measly two points from a possible fifthteen.
A break in the F.A. Cup against Radcliffe Borough couldn't have come at a better time for Graham Turner's side. They should look to use this game to try and restore some much neeeded confidence in the team.
HUFC Team:(4-4-2) Scott, Green, Tretton, Mkandawire, Robinson, Travis, Pitman, Stanley, Purdie, Brown, Stansfield. Subs: Smith, Hyde, Lewis, Williams, Carey-Bertram.
CUFC Team : Glennon, Andrews, Gray, Grand, Annison, McGill, Lumsdon, Billy, Murphy, Hawley, Viera. Subs: Shelley, Farrel, Preece, McDonagh, Westwood.
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