Green's goal gives Halifax agony

Another view of the game - this from Sheffield Today.

RYAN Green, the first signing that Chris Turner made as Sheffield Wednesday manager, was the man to send Hereford back into the Football League on Saturday night.
Green, playing on the right side, scored from 20 yards with just 12 minutes of extra-time remaining to enable Hereford to clinch the play-off final 3-2 over Halifax at Leicester's Walker's Stadium and end Hereford's nine year exile from League football.
It meant agony for Halifax boss Chris Wilder, the former Sheffield United and Rotherham United dfefender, who has done an excellent job at the Shay.

"We've given it a go and there are a lot of things for us to be proud of," said Wilder.

"We said before the game that we needed to play well and I think we did that but we just didn't get the luck and that's not to take anything away from Hereford. Maybe it was just their day."

Former Sheffield United youngster Lewis Killeen put Halifax in front with a stunning 30 yarder and after being pegged back by Andy Williams they led again through John Grant only for former Scunthorpe striker Guy Ipoua to send the game into extra-time.
It was stalemate until the winning strike from Green who joined the Owls in November 2002 from Cardiff City as a right-sided player or utility man, but made only four appearances in all. He was released by Wednesday at the end of the season and joined Hereford in the summer of 2003.

Jubilant Hereford manager Graham Turner expressed his relief after his side banished their play-off hoodoo, the Bulls having suffered play-off heartache in each of the last two seasons after crashing out in the semi-final stages in 2004 and 2005 against Aldershot and Stevenage respectively.

"It's been a long hard nine years to get back in the Football League and the overwhelming feeling at the moment is one of relief," said Turner, who has been in charge since August 1995.

"We've been so close on many occasions and it's been heartbreaking not to go up before I thought it was a cracking game with some cracking goals and there's also the excitement and joy of the moment. We've brought nearly 10,000 fans here and they've enjoyed every minute it."

Turner took time out to praise Wilder: "Chris has done a great job and a lot of credit has to go to them for the part they have played in the game."

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