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Hereford United secured their almost traditional second place in the Conference this afternoon with a 3-1 victory away at York City. It was the first time that The Bulls have scored three goals away from home in the league this season, and continued their superb run that has seen them go unbeaten in the Conference on their travels since the 7th of October.
Changes were made in the Hereford side as Danny Carey-Bertram missed out through injury and Ryan Green returned. Simon Travis played on the right of midfield in front of Green, who played at right back. It took Hereford a while to get into their stride, and York enjoyed the earliest of the chances. Travis blocked an early shot, forcing a corner before Dean Beckwith had to get in the way of a shot from Andy Bishop, who won another corner for the hosts. It was a third corner from which The Minstermen came closest, as the ball fell to Neal Bishop who fired first time, but Wayne Brown was equal to it.
Hereford were not as wasteful with their chances, and took the lead following their first effort on goal after thirteen minutes. Craig Stanley won a free kick just outside the box that Alex Jeannin fired low and hard. The goalkeeper Chris Porter parried the ball away, but only into the path of Andy Williams, who fired low into the far corner from close range. United got themselves into the game as York's early spirits had been dampened but failed to create another decent chance until the thirty fifth minute - when they scored again!
Some good passing in the midfield managed to release Travis in space on the right flank, and he had time to cross into the middle where Andy Williams challenged Porter for the ball. Neither won it clearly and it rolled out to the far post where Rob Purdie was on hand to tuck in a second for The Bulls. Purdie had an opportunity for a second before the break but, after Williams had flicked on a ball from Jeannin, his low shot was tame and no trouble for Porter.
York came out for the restart with renewed optimism. Clayton Donaldson made his way down the right before centering for Joe O'Neill but Brown again saved, however he couldn't deny City on fifty seven minutes. A free kick from Mark Convery was headed straight into the path of Andy Bishop, who stole in to head home from five yards, for his 25th goal of the season. City went on to have a strong period, but couldn't find the equaliser.
Hereford's Williams had a shot blocked before Adam Stansfield should have restored the two goal advantage, with Travis once again the supplier, when the striker couldn't get a cross from under his feet, with a clear view on goal inside the six yard box. Ferrell forced the save of the game out of Porter from twenty five yards with a well hit shot before Tamika Mkandawire almost scored, but his header was just inches off target. Soon after this, Graham Turner made two changes replacing both his strikers in the eighty second minute. Stuart Fleetwood and Guy Ipoua were introduced but it was York who went closest to scoring again.
This time it took a header off the line by Stanley, following a free kick, and a tip over from Brown to deny the hosts. The resulting corner caused more problems, causing a mass scramble in the goal mouth, in which it looked as though York may have netted twice before the ball went wide for a goal kick. Hereford survived the late storm though and went on to score a third in the final minute from substitute Ipoua. The move started with Brown who sent a long ball wide to Green on the right, and the Welshman then found his fellow country man Fleetwood. The striker ran at goal before poking the ball onto Purdie, who set up Ipoua with a low ball across the goal leaving the Cameroonian to net from close range, much to the delight, and relief, of the 329 Hereford fans in a crowd of 2,755.
So it's second again for Hereford and they will now face Morecambe in the play offs. Todays performance was much better than those seen recently, and will have given encouragement both to the team and supporters.
HUFC: Brown, Green, Beckwith, Mkandawire, Jeannin, Purdie, Stanley, Ferrell, Travis, Williams, Stansfield. Subs: Pitman, Mawson, Nicolau, Ipoua, Fleetwood.
YCFC: Porter, Thomas, McGurk, Dudgeon, Peat, Panther, O'Neill, Neil Bishop, Dunning, Donaldson, Andy Bishop.Subs: Hotte, Reid, Convery, Kamara, Merris.
