Hereford United played hosts to Welsh outfit Wrexham at Edgar Street this afternoon in wet conditions. The heavy pitched flawed any plans for a game of flowing football, as the pitch cut up throughout making for a very scrappy battle. United were looking for revenge following their defeat when they travelled over the border earlier in the season, and they got exactly what they wanted.
The Bulls made just one change to the side that drew with Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day as there was no place for Rob Purdie, due to illness, so in stepped Stuart Fleetwood, meaning Alan Connell dropped off behind the front two. On the bench, there was a return from Andy Williams following a virus. Wrexham had more selection problems than Hereford, as several of their players were missing through illness and injury.
Despite Connell not playing as striker, he proved United's most threatening player on the Red Dragons' goal, and showed his intent in just the second minute. Phil Gulliver's long free kick had been headed away and dropped some thirty yards from goal, from where Connell swung an opportunist boot at the ball and dipped it over the 'keeper Michael Ingham, but it crashed off the top of the cross bar. This was the only chance in the first fifteen or so minutes, as the pitch got the better of both teams, before Wrexham burst into life.
A break down the left saw Chris Llewellyn cut back for Gareth Evans, but he fired over the bar before Llewelyn tried himself and went close at the near post. The Bulls were struggling to come by goal scoring chances, but Andy Ferrell seemed to be everywhere in midfield, and almost picked out the run of Fleetwood with a defence splitting pass. The Welsh side forced Wayne Brown into his first save of the game, and it was a good one too, as he dived to his left to deny Llewelyn's effort from twenty yards.
Wayne Brown collects - picture by Andy Compton of the Hereford Journal.
The visitors had another good chance to break the deadlock on thirty seven minutes, when Matt Crowell played Marc Williams in behind the defence, though Brown was down well to keep scores level. However, the 'keeper quickly released Simon Travis on the right as United counter attacked. Travis advanced and played a neat one-two with Tim Sills, and cut inside from as he neared the by-line and delivered a cross for Connell who'd made a dash into the box. Connell connected with the outside of the his boot and the ball made it's way into the back of the net via, first Ingham's hand, and then the inside of the post.
The goal came against the run of play, and it was no suprise when Wrexham were again on the attack, and again wasteful in front of goal before the half time interval. Matt Done's side-footed shot from the edge of the box took a deflection, and required a fine finger-tip save from Brown.
Half time saw a change by Denys Smith as Lee McEviley, ex-Accrington Stanley, was introduced in a tactical change as Wrexham looked to grab an equaliser. They had plenty of chances to do so as well, but once again poor finishing cost them dear. Shaun Pejic, son of former Hereford player Mel, should have done better at the far post when he met a deep free kick, but couldn't beat man of the match Brown in the Hereford goal. Kevin Smith then did well to spin off his man twenty five yards out, and crashed an effort off the outside of the post as The Bulls survived the storm.
Graham Turner saw the need for change and on fifty nine minutes replaced Fleetwood with Williams. Hereford improved slightly from here on, but still their Welsh opponents had the better of posession. Tamika Mkandawire, faultless throughout, led an attack from the back as he raced forward, played a one-two and then saw his dangerous cross hooked away from Sills at the far post, before Wrexham countered and Llewelyn got in behind the defence, but was denied a great goal by an even better saving tackle, which took his volley into the side netting.
United's back three had done very well in keeping McEviley quiet in the second half, but the big target man met Done's cross with his head, but once again Brown got the better of Wrexham and tipped over the bar, for yet another corner. With eleven minutes remaining Turner made a second change, replacing Sills, who had a very good game, with Gareth Sheldon who played alongside Williams. Sheldon worked himself a great opening to seal the win for his side, following good work from Trent McClenahan, but having beaten two defenders in a tight space in the box, shot way off target.
United didn't dwell on the missed chance though, and they got the goal to secure the 2-0 victory with two minutes left of normal time (and the four added). Travis was again heavily involved as he paced down the left before playing a ball inside to Williams. Williams took the ball beyond his man, but it rolled away from him slightly, but that was to Connell's advantage as he curled the ball into the bottom corner from twenty yards out in front of a relieved, yet delighted, Meadow End. The 519 away fans in a crowd of 3,444 were soon on their way home, as Hereford played out the final minutes safe in the knowledge the points were theirs.
It proved a brilliant battling performance from Hereford, and although the defence had a lot of work to do as Wrexham pressured, the rear guard performed very well to keep their third clean sheet in succession. There will be some tired legs after todays game on what was a very heavy pitch, though the three points, against a Wrexham side that performed well, will more than make up for that.
HUFC: Brown, Rose, Mkandawire, Gulliver, Travis, McClenahan, Ferrell, Webb, Connell, Fleetwood, Sills. Subs: Giles, Jeannin, Thompson, Sheldon, Williams.
WFC: Ingham, Williams, Evans, Spender, Pejic, Roche, Johnson, Crowell, Done, Williams, Llewelyn. Subs: Jones, Carey, Smith, Ferguson, McEviley.
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