Defensive errors cost Bulls

Hereford United have been knocked out of the LDV Vans Trophy Area Semi-Final by Wrexham following an entertaining game at Edgar Street this evening. The Bulls took the lead in the first half before Wrexham immediatly hit back. The Welsh side stole a winner in the second half, much against the run of play. United will pocket £15,000 for their run in the competition this season.



David Brown, Joe Anyinsah, Ryan Green and Danny Williams were all absent from the side that started against Dagenham on the weekend. Brown was only named on the bench, as was Danny Williams but Anyinsah was cup tied and Green was injured. There was no sign of Lee Mills following his substitute appearance on Saturday. Graham Turner opted for a 3-5-2 formation rather than the 4-4-2 that has been used recently.



An early chance fell to Danny Carey-Bertram, back from a hamstring injury, after Tony James' long ball was crossed in by the ever dangerous Rob Purdie, but the shot from the striker struck the body of the defender and the referee waved away any protests for a penalty. At the other end Wrexham created a glorious chance to take the lead with their first attack of the game. Chris Llewellyn run to the bye-line on the right, from where he cut the ball back for Juan Ugarte, but his effort from eight yards was tame and straight at the grateful Craig Mawson.



Mark Robinson forced a low save out of 'keeper Ben Foster from thirty yards with a well driven free kick before Craig Stanley played a wonderful cross field pass to Simon Travis, who cut in from the right and saw his shot flash inches wide, with

Robinson set to tap in at the far post. Adam Stansfield latched onto a through ball down the left flank and crossed perfectly for Purdie, but somehow, with nobody around him, he managed to totally miss the header under no pressure from six yards out.



The opening goal came on twenty minutes when Stansfield raced onto a through ball from Stanley, rounded Foster in the Wrexham goal, and then squared the ball for Carey-Bertram, who hammered into the roof of the net from six yards out. However, a lapse in concentration for the Hereford defence resulted in the equaliser a minute later. Andy Holt crossed from the right and Ugarte capitalised on James' inabililty to head clear, and nodded low past the helpless Mawson.



Stanley forced a save with a powerful effort from twenty five yards out before Mawson was called upon to make a good diving save, tipping Jim Whitley's inswinging left footed effort beyond the post. Stanley picked out the run of Carey-Bertram with a well timed pass, but after skinning two defenders Carey-Bertram could only drag his shot into the side netting. The first period ended pretty evenly though and the last chance was when Matt Crowell's drive bounced awkwardly infront of Mawson and rebounded away off his chest.



Stansfield, who seemed to be limping when he came out for the second half, showed good strength to hold off an oponent and then crossed dangerously into the box, but it was hooked away, but only as far as Purdie who shot well over. Hereford played some very good attacking football that seems to have been lacking from their game recently; the change of formation appeared to aid this greatly. After a good passage of play down the left, Stanley switched it to Stansfield on the right where he crossed for Carey-Bertram, whose header was saved low to Foster's left.



Llewellyn remained a threat on the break but his shot after a good run flew across the goal face. Stephen Roberts headed over after a cross had been played back into the middle from the right as Wrexham enjoyed a short spell of pressure. Travis disposessed Holt in the final third and crossed for Carey-Bertram. He knocked the ball back into the middle but the 'keeper clawed it away with thee attackers scrambling for the ball. Then, much against the run of play Llewellyn grabbed the decisive goal. A throw in on the left wasn't dealt with by Hereford and the ball made it's way to Llewellyn on the edge of the box, from where he fired left footed into the top corner to send the 489 away fans wild.



Stansfield was obviously struggling and had to be changed sooner rather than later, so Brown took to the field in his place. Craig Morgan headed over from a corner for the visitors before United reverted back to a 4-4-2 formation when Tom Smith was

replaced by Danny Williams. Hereford's final, and perhaps best, chance for an equaliser came with around five minutes remaining. Williams swung in a series of corners, and his final one was headed away to the edge of the box to Stanley. He

jinked past one man and then shot at goal. The ball fell to Robinson in the six yard box and somehow he managed to shoot against the goalkeeper who held onto the ball.



The crowd of 2,710 were treated to an entertaining game of football and a much improved performance from the home side. There will now be a decision for the coaching staff to make as whether to continue with the 3-5-2 formation, which seemed to bring many positives. Rob Purdie looked far more comfortable, and dangerous, in the role he played at the end of last season and the teams performance, especially in midfield, seemed to benefit from this change.



HUFC Team: Mawson, Travis, James, Smith, Mkandawire, Robinson, Pitman, Purdie, Stanley, Carey-Bertram, Stansfield. Subs: Andy Williams, Danny Williams, Scott, Gwynne, Brown.

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