Swindon brought down to earth

Swindon's manager may need to chooose his words more carefully next time before any visit of Hereford United to the County Ground.

"Hereford scrapped their way into this league and they will keep doing that," said Ade Williams.

"They will come here in front of a good crowd and on a good pitch and will treat is like their cup final."

Not only on the pitch but off Swindon looked second best. The Hereford support, probably around 900, outsang the Robins for most of the game.

The organisation at the ground was poor. For whatever reason the stewards did not want to give the Hereford fans any more room than was absolutely necessary.

The plan appeared to be to push Hereford fans into the far end of the Arklles stand. When more fans turned up than were expected, the stewards looked unable to cope. Some fans missed the start of the game.

In effect the latecomers were given better seats than those who arrived half an hour earlier.

Then the stewards decided to allow around 30 fans to move to behind the goal which was otherwise empty.

To pay £20 for an old seat with a view directly into the sun was a bit rich. On top of that Swindon charged £5 to park at the ground.

And then after the game ended Hereford fans who had parked at the ground had to walk all the way around the outside of the ground and attached playing field to get back to their cars. There were no police or stewards anywhere along this route. It was reminiscent of Aldershot and Cambridge in the Conference.

At least one young Hereford fan was ejected from the ground.

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