Turner out to set new LDV record

The Football League has issued the following news item about Hereford United and the LDV Vans Trophy.



Hereford United are hoping to become the first Conference side to reach the Area Finals of the LDV Vans Trophy when they meet Wrexham on Tuesday night.



The Bulls have already matched the achievements of Barnet and Halifax Town - the only other Conference sides to reach this stage since The League invited non-League sides into the competition in 2000 - but after beating three League clubs already in this season's competition, Hereford boss Graham Turner is hoping to set a new record by winning their Area Semi Final tie.



He said: "I think our players enjoy the chance to match themselves up against players from the Football League and so far they have acquitted themselves very well. From our point of view we will approach Tuesday's game exactly the same as every other that we have played this season and therefore our aim is simply to try to win it and progress through to the Area Final.



"It's a match that our supporters are really looking forward to as well and, like myself and the players, they are very hopeful that we can become the first non-league team to make it beyond the semi-final stage. As the FA Cup has shown again this season, the beauty of Cup football is that anything can happen and hopefully we can write another page in this club's famous giantkilling tradition on Tuesday night."



Turner is no stranger to success in this competition having seen his Wolves side win the Trophy in 1988 and he is hopeful his Conference high-flyers can reward the Edgar Street faithful with a day out at the Millennium Stadium in April.



He said: "This competition is one that I've always taken seriously and many years ago I took Wolves to Wembley to take on Burnley in the Final and there were more than 80,000 people. That was a great day out for everyone and it would be fantastic if we could reach the Final this season and enjoy a memorable day out in Cardiff. We are only three games from achieving that now and although we know it will be difficult, we will be giving everything we've got to progress even further.



"We're proud of the run we've had so far this year and to have beaten three League clubs in Scunthorpe, Doncaster and Blackpool on route to the semi-final is no mean feat from us. It's not just the teams we have beaten either, it's the way the games have been played and many of our supporters have said that our win over Blackpool was one of the best matches that they have seen at Edgar Street in many seasons."



The other Northern Area Semi Final is an all-League 1 affair as Oldham Athletic take on Tranmere Rovers - the only previous winners of the Trophy left in this season's competition.



The Southern Area Semi-Finals see Leyton Orient meet Bristol Rovers, while last season's runners-up Southend United welcome Swindon Town to Roots Hall.

---