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Hereford United and Stevenage Borough will go head to head for a place in the National Conference play off final this evening at Edgar Street, kick off 7.45pm. The second leg will be shown live on Sky Sports, as was the first leg, so the Bulls will once again be shown throughout the world. Supporters who don't have access to Sky will be able to listen to the game live over the internet.(see previous article)
The tie is placed on a knife's edge following the 1-1 draw at Broadhall Way on Bank Holiday Monday. This result is now irrelevant and so the outcome of this evenings match will decide who goes on to contest for a place in the Football League. This is the same situation that Hereford faced last season following their 1-1 draw at Aldershot in the semi-final first leg.
Danny Carey-Bertram has a chance of making the starting eleven with the news that Lee Mills is doubtful with an ankle injury. Carey-Bertram was introduced halfway through the second half in the first leg and netted a sublime opener. He told BBC H&W that he is hoping for a repeat at Edgar Street.
Of the goal he said, "The ball came to me and I thought I'd go for a goal. I went for it and luckily it went in." When asked if he'd like another one like that, he replied, " Any goal would do but something like that would just cap it off."
Graham Turner remains optimistic following the draw at Boro. "We were not disapointed with the result at Stevenage, having taken the lead we should have gone on to win it but before the game we would have taken that, so now it's all to play for down at our place," he told Sky Sports News.
"I think Stevenage have got attributes that we can contend with so we've got to and a lot of it is physical attributes that they've got and they're a well organised side. There's no doubting that but with home advantage, with the benefit of 7,000 of our supporters there we've got every opportunity now to progress to the final."
The Bulls have no other injury worries other than Lee Mills and so will have a good selection of players. Tony James should be named on the bench once again, after making a short appearance in the first leg. Graham Hyde is back in contention after recovering from illness, which kept him out of the first game so Jamie Pitman's place may be under threat at least for part of the game. Simon Travis is expected to keep his place on the right, but Danny Williams will be pushing for a start.
Stevenage will probably field an unchanged line-up with Michael Brough still on the sidelines. They do, however, have Albert Jarret back from a three match ban and Simon Weatherstone pushing for a start.
Hereford United missed out on the final last year after going down to ten men when Andy Tretton was sent-off and then failing to convert their penalties. This year they will desperately hoping that fate is on their side. All things being equal by late this evening the Bulls will have obtained their place in the final at Stoke in eight days time. They deserve it.
