NEXT HOME GAME - TBC
NEXT AWAY GAME - SUPPORTERS XI ARE PLAYING WORCESTER AT MALVERN ON SUNDAY AUGUST 3rd AT 3.00pm

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Shotsweb predicts 2-1 home win

Shotsweb is predicting that their team will finally register a Conference win over Hereford United tomorrow.



An excellent preview suggests that although Aldershot has hit a useful run of form recently, a defeat tomorrow could send them some way back down the Conference table.



Their "Considered Opinion" section makes interesting reading:



Even though Hereford find themselves near the bottom of the "current form" table and are in the midst of a mini injury crisis of their own, they should never be discounted in games against The Shots. Despite gaining a decisive advantage over them by reaching the Play-Off Final last season, Aldershot are yet to actually beat The Bulls over 5 matches.



But, after being unbeaten in seven through to the middle of December, performances recently have been poor, and with striker Lee Mills, central defender Andy Tretton, right-back Ryan Green and midfielder Graham Hyde all out injured, Hereford have endured four defeats in their last five League games.



Forwards Danny Carey-Bertram and Adam Stansfield should return, however, and with Simon Travis and Joe Anyinsah, signed on loan from Bristol City, already forming an impressive partnership down the right wing, they may still pose a major threat to The Shots' defence.



In Tuesday's LDV Vans Trophy Semi-Final defeat against Wrexham, Hereford rediscovered some semblance of their old form by reverting to a 3-5-2 formation, after their experiment with a 4-4-2 line-up had contributed to some lack-lustre displays. However, both that, and the loss against Dagenham and Redbridge last Saturday, have been symptomatic: having dominated for much of the game without capitalising upon their possession, set-pieces and territorial advantage, they were largely complicit in their own downfall with mistakes at both ends of the pitch.



Hereford's hitherto prolific strikers have of late been suffering from niggling knocks and a loss of sharpness. The team has scored only nine goals in as many games, with three of those coming against Leigh RMI and two each from midfielders Craig Stanley and Jamie Pitman. Adam Stansfield, much-heralded replacement for Steve Guinan, has two in five, while the usually reliable David Brown has only one.



Still in something of a transitional period after last season's perceived failure, and with manager Graham Turner under increasing pressure to deliver tangible success, The Bulls are one of several teams whose season could live or die by their next few results, a win or two could pull them clear into a Play-Off position, but a defeat could leave them in twelfth place come Sunday night
.



Meanwhile some 400 Hampshire police are expected to cover todays Cup game at Southampton. This level of policing explains why the game at the Rec has been moved to tomorrow.