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Hereford United overcame an early scare to book their place in the quarter finals of the F.A. Trophy at Edgar Street this evening. United, unchanged from the original tie last Saturday, fell behind but recovered with a good second half performance to progress to the next round, when they will face Hucknall Town at Edgar Street.
Eastwood troubled their hosts from the start and were unlucky not to be three or four goals to the good at half time. Craig Mawson, who will want to forget his performance as quickly as possible, had failed to claim a high ball from Paul Mitchell to Peter Knox, as the latter stuck onto the cross bar. Moments earlier Brian Smikle had headed directly at Danny Bryant at the other end, after Mark Robinson's left wing cross.
Mawson then presented the ball straight to the feet of Mitchell after a pass back to the goalkeeper. Mawson did though, save himself from total embarrassment by smothering at the feet of the attacker, who couldn't have expected the pass from the goalie. You would have thought that Mawson would have woken up by now, but he was again at fault when Eastwood finally took the lead. Knox raced onto a hopeful ball into the corner and spotted Mawson off his line, as he had began to race out to challenge him but then stopped in his tracks, and then lifted the ball over him and into an unguarded net.
Eastwood continued to create opportunities, and should have doubled the lead when Knox met a cross at the near post but somehow directed his header wide. Hereford then, finally, threatened at the other end. Smikle's run won the Bulls a corner which fell to Danny Williams on the edge of the box. His shot was parried and Rob Purdie's follow up was blocked on the line. Williams then struck a thirty-yard free kick which was parried away to Danny Carey-Bertram, who hit the post from a tight angle.
Hereford were on top at this stage and looked set to equalise when Purdie found space in the box, but hammered his shot inches wide. Hereford's patient play eventually paid off with nine minutes of the half remaining. Tony James bought the ball out of the defence and knocked a pass to the right, where Smikle crossed to the far post for Carey-Bertram to fire in low into the near bottom corner. Colin Daniel was replaced at left back, an area where the Bulls were having a lot of success, by Chris Shaw. United had one more chance before the break, following a good throw in move the ball was layed onto Craig Stanley who hammered his shot from the edge of the box against the angle of the post and cross bar.
The second half started slowly, with United enjoying large amounts of possession. Graham Hyde shot at the 'keeper after an opening had been worked for him before, somehow, Stanley hit the bar from no more than two yards out when Simon Travis crossed to the far post. The ball was cleared for a corner, from which James had a header cleared off the line. Hereford were pressuring heavily, and the second goal was becoming inevitable. Carey-Bertram's shot was deflected for a corner in the sixty first minute. Williams crossed for the skipper, and man of the match, James who headed in to give United the lead.
Purdie broke in from the left but his shot was blocked and put out for a corner. Carey-Bertram, chipped for Stanley on the edge of the box, whose volley was caught by Bryant as the Bulls started to cruise. Lee Mills was introduced for Carey-Bertram then, and almost scored with his first touch, a header. He was then involved in the third goal moments after. He held up play, and then flicked the ball off for Travis, who then found Purdie on the left. Purdie found the run of Smikle with a neat pass, and Smikle scored with a shot that went in off the far post.
A minute later, the result was put in no doubt. Smikle played a long, hopeful pass, which Purdie raced onto. His first time effort was pushed away by the 'keeper but Williams was first to the rebound and hammered into the far bottom corner, beyond the reach of a recovering defender for 4-1.
The Bulls were now cruising and passing the ball around at ease, but Mawson was still not done for the evening. The ball was played back to him and he was close down quickly by Knox. He attempted to clear, but it hit Knox and bounced into the goal, to the delight of the 47 travelling supporters. Andy Tretton and Ryan Green were bought on late on for United in place of James and Travis.
In injury time, the Bulls almost increased their lead further. Purdie won a free kick on the edge of the box, which Williams fired against the cross bar and then Mills held the ball up well in the area, and layed on for Williams, who somehow failed to beat Bryant from close range.
Eastwood should be happy with the performance, as they battled hard throughout the whole game and caused United all sorts of problems in the opening half an hour. They may look back on the first half and wonder how they didn't have the game settled by half time. United, in front of 1,090, will be pleased that they have progressed to the quarter final and picked up the prize money of £6,000 in the process.
HUFC Team: Mawson, Travis, Mkandawire, James, Robinson, Williams, Hyde, Stanley, Smikle, Carey-Bertram, Purdie. Subs: Tretton, Green, Scott, Brown, Mills.
