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Andy Williams was in dream land once again as he found the scoresheet for the second game in a row, moving his season total up to eleven goals of which seven have come in the Nationwide Conference. The youngster again impressed this evening, in front of a wider audience than usual with the game being live on Sky, as Hereford United defeated play off rivals Stevenage Borough at Edgar Street.
United, who were unchanged from the side that started last week against Aldershot, started well but failed to really test Alan Julian in the Boro goal in the early stages. Stuart Fleetwood, who is also making quite a name for himself at Edgar Street, had a shot blocked in the opening stages and then moments later Stevange threatened for the first time when Dino Maamria volleyed wide at the near post.
Tamika Mkandawire's header, from Ryan Green's free kick was saved by Julian before Nicky Nicolau was replaced, on seventeen minutes, by Rob Purdie due to injury. Williams latched onto a flick-header by Fleetwood but a defender was in the way of his shot while, at the other end, George Boyd almost created a goal out of nothing. He caught the ball on the full volley twenty five yards from goal, almost catching Wayne Brown out, but the 'keeper managed to scramble across his line to push the ball behind.
Fleetwood and Andy Ferrell both had shots saved before the deadlock was broken in the final minute of first half added time. Ferrell delivered a free kick into the box, which was met by the head of Dean Beckwith and Williams was on hand in the middle to stretch out a leg and volley high into the net from around eight yards.
Boyd again forced Brown into a brilliant save just after the restart as the goalie clawed an effort from the winger out of the air extravagantely but it was the Bulls who were to score again and put a clear margin between the two sides. Green took a throw in on the right which Williams touched to Craig Stanley. Stanley played another short ball to Fleetwood who, with his back to goal, span off his marker before planting a shot across the helpless Julian and into the far bottom corner.
Jefferson Louis, one of three first half bookings for the more-than-physical side, almost grabbed one back for the visitors a minute later but saw his curling effort rebound back into play off the post and from then on United were in complete control. Mkandawire headed just over from a Ferrell, impressive again in midfield, free kick crossed to the far post before Fleetwood showed he is human after all when he fired wide of the mark, having skinned two opponents.
Then, rather inevitabely, a red card was produced for a Stevenage player with twenty minutes left on the clock. Justin Gregory, who had been terrorised by the pace of Daryl Taylor all evening had already picked up a first half booking and left the referee, Rob Lewis, no choice but to show him a second when he tripped Taylor as the winger skipped past him once again. Ronnie Henry had to be careful to clear over his cross bar as he got a foot to an inviting Taylor cross from the right with attackers lurking at the far post. Then, from the resulting corner, more danger lingered for Boro. Fleetwood crossed to outside of the box where man of the match Stanley awaited before unleashing a thunderous volley that flew just inches over the bar.
Julian showed good hands to deny Williams a second goal, as the attacker beat his man from the bye line, leaving Henry to head behind before Danny Carey-Bertram was given two minutes (and the four injury time minutes) to have a run out, in the place of Taylor and then seventeen year-old Sam Gwynne was given his debut in place of Fleetwood.
There were some very impressive individual performances this evening, but everyone worked well together also and, in the end, United quite easily overcame what appeared to be a very difficult fixture. In particular Beckwith, Stanley, Ferrell, Williams and Fleetwood stood out. The result takes United back into second place and leave Stevenage where they were before in fourth position. The only slightly disappointment of the evening was the attendance, no doubt affected by the live coverage on Sky, which was 2,394 including 41 away fans.
HUFC: Brown, Green, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Travis, Nicolau, Ferrell, Stanley, Taylor, Williams, Fleetwood. Subs: Haliday, Mawson, Purdie, Gwynne, Carey-Bertram.
SBFC: Julian, Hocking, Quinn, Henry, Gregory, Bulman, Berquez, Miller, Boyd, Maamria, Louis. Subs: Goodliffe, Weatherstone, Obinna, Nurse, Stamp.
