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Hereford United striker Tim Sills managed his second goal of the season to hand his side a 1-0 victory at Meadow Lane, home of Notts County yesterday evening. However, it was second half substitute Stuart Fleetwood who did the hard work for the goal, which came with less than ten minutes remaining. It was ironic that the goal came in the second half, as United had played better in the first, despite much change to the side. Simon Travis, Trent McClenahan, Richard Rose and Andy Ferrell all came in, with Dean Beckwith, suspended, Alex Jeannin, Fleetwood and Neil MacKenzie, loan ended, all missing from the side that started against Shrewsbury.
The opening exchanges were pretty level, but the visitors forced a first corner when Travis linked up well with Rob Purdie, and a cross from the former was deflected behind. The ball appeared to hit the arm of skipper Alan White, but referee Rob Lewis dismissed any claims for an early penalty. Purdie fired a warning shot wide from twenty five yards while Jay Smith did the same at the other end, though his effort was helped on by a Hereford defender.
Sills pushed to the ground as Hereford await a cross - Bulls News picture.
Sills could only glance a header on goal, making easy work for 'keeper Saul Deeney, formerly of Burton Albion, as Purdie delivered a free kick from the left before Junior Mendes used is pace for County, but couldn't direct a powerful effort from outside of the box on target. Gary Silk then forced Wayne Brown into a low save with a tame shot following a right wing cross, before Purdie was again showing attacking intentions, winning a corner with another shot from range. Three minutes from the break the ball fell to him again, this time inside the box, but he sliced his shot when in plenty of space. Hereford were looking by far the better side when the half was drawn to a close.
Purdie, who was thriving in his role behind the front two, saw a low drive gathered by Deeney after Sills had knocked the ball down for him, before a rare sight on goal for the home side saw Mendes lift the ball over the bar. However, the County fans thought their side had taken the lead when Lawrie Dudfield turned the ball in at the near post, but he was ruled offside by the linesman on the near side.
Hereford made their only change with nineteen minutes to go, and it paid dividends with nine remaining. In the ten minutes between though, the hosts were building pressure, with Andy Parkinson curling narrowley wide, but they failed to make it count and The Bulls scored on the break. Fleetwood's pace was pivotal in the attack as he raced away down the right and drove in a powerful effort. Deeney got a hand to it, but the ball rose to a perfect height for Sills to head in to an unguarded net from close range to seal a 1-0 victory.
Notts County did apply fresh pressure in the latter stages and had a penalty shout turned down as one Hereford player cleared against the arm of another, and United had 'keeper Brown to thank in injury time as he made a top class save at the feet of Dan Martin and the follow up was over the bar.
Not a great performance by The Bulls, but they will not be worrying about that. Three points stops the rot and gives them their first league win in five, and is all the more impressive considering the changes in personnel that have been forced on Graham Turner.
HUFC: Brown, Gulliver, Rose, Mkandawire, Travis, McClenahan, Ferrell, Webb, Purdie, Sills, Connell. Subs: Jeannin, Thompson, Sheldon, Giles, Fleetwood.
NCFC: Deeney, Silk, Edwards, White, McCann, Pipe, Ross, Smith, McMahon, Dudfield, Mendes. Subs: Pilkington, Martin, Hunt, N'Toya, Parkinson.
