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The GLS Conference Cup Report
Hereford United have progressed to the fourth round of the GLS Cup with a 4-2 victory after extra time against Burton Albion at Eton Park this evening.
United gave some fringe players and some youngsters a run out in the GLS Cup at Burton Albion this evening. Many changes were made to the side that were very well beaten in the league against Albion last saturday. Ben Scott was named in goal and Tom Smith replaced Tamika Mkandawire in the back four, which also did not include Mark Robinson. Ryan Green was moved back into the defence and Danny Williams started, as did new signing from Grimsby Town Ashley Hildred who also had a spell at Northwich Victoria on loan. Andy Williams started up front with David Brown and Danny Carey-Bertram started on the left.
Hereford had the lead after eleven minutes thanks to an own goal by Ryan Austin. Brown crossed for Craig Stanley twelve yards out whose shot then rebounded off Austin's head and into the bottom right corner. Dale Anderson leveled the scores up on thirty three minutes for the hosts. A corner was swung in from the Burton right and after a scramble in the box a first shot was cleared off the line, but it fell to Anderson who tapped in from no more than a yard out.
However, United had the lead again within just one minute. Carey-Bertram attacked a right wing cross from the left and found the bottom corner with a shot across the face of the goal to give Hereford a 2-1 advantage. The Bulls would have hoped to get to half time with the score line at 2-1 but Albion equalised again after forty minutes. Robbie Talbot had the ball twenty five yards out and got the better of Tom Smith with a couple of twists and turns and found the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area much to the delight of the majority of the crowd of 367.
Tony James was replaced by Mark Smith with just over ten minutes of the second half gone in Hereford's first change of the game. The second half saw no goals and went into extra time. However, Anderson had a goal disallowed for offside after fifty three minutes after tapping in from close range. Andy Williams' angled right footed effort from the left side of the edge of the area was brilliantly saved by Robinson on seventy one minutes.
Six minutes passed in extra time before the deadlock was broken thanks to Adam Stansfield on as a sub for Andy Williams a minute before the end of normal time. Having put an earlier effort from the edge of the box just wide, he made no mistake at the far post, heading in Danny Williams' right wing cross from close range. A couple of minutes later Carey-Bertram doubled the advantage with a low drive following Brown's pass but just before Mark Robins, on as a sub, almost leveled things up but his chip rebounded off the cross bar.
The second half of extra time saw no goals but Carey-Bertram had a great opportunity to net his first hattrick for the club after being tripped in the penalty area by Michael Simpkins. He stepped up to take the spot kick but 'keeper Robinson dived down low to his left and caught the shot so the score remained at 4-2.
Hereford may not have been happy that the game went to extra time as it have tired out some of the players who have played frequently in the first team this season. The 27 away fans were treated to plenty of goals though and their side now have a home tie against either Leigh R.M.I or Northwich Victoria in the next round.
HUFC Team: Ben Scott, Ryan Green, Tony James, Tom Smith, Simon Travis,Danny Williams, Craig Stanley, Andy Williams, Danny Carey-Bertram, David Brown, Ashley Hildred. Subs:
Jamie Pitman, Adam Stansfield, Criag Mawson, Mark Smith and John Trewick.
Report by Terry Goodwin
