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Mike Holden thinks the Bulls could react positively tomorrow at Crewe after that poor second-half against Bury last Tuesday.
The four sides relegated from League One last season have had varying fortunes since their return to the basement and it should perhaps come as no great surprise that the bookies make Crewe firm favourites to beat Hereford at Gresty Road on Saturday.
After losing a difficult opener against Dagenham & Redbridge, the Railwaymen now appear to be settling down nicely following back to back away wins at Grimsby and Darlington.
Meanwhile, the picture looks much gloomier for the Bulls with just two points from the opening three matches in the wake of Tuesday's defeat against Bury.
However, we're still at the stage of the season where it pays not to read too much into the form book and there's enough uncertainty surrounding these two sides to suggest the away win should be played for a modest stake at 4/1.
Prior to their second-half collapse against the Shakers in midweek, Hereford hadn't done a great deal wrong in the opening 345 minutes of the campaign.
The Bulls had been inseparable over 90 minutes of three tricky matches against Morecambe, Charlton and Cheltenham, an extra-time victory over the Addicks providing the only matter that was settled one way or the other.
And it appeared to be going much the same way in a tight opening period against Alan Knill's men but a sluggishness infiltrated their play after the interval, allowing the Shakers to seize the initiative and wrap up the points.
It was a sudden shift in behaviour that mystified manager John Trewick and his displeasure was evident in the post-match interviews, so we might just see a reaction from the Bulls on Saturday as his newly-assembled outfit reach a crossroads in terms of self-perception.
Trewick has introduced 13 new faces since his summer appointment - all but two of them on permanent deals - and with wholesale change comes uncertainty about where the Bulls belong in the overall scheme of things.
So while the prolonged parity of the first fortnight could be construed positively - a reason to stick rather than twist, perhaps - the defeat in midweek might now force them into action as they seek to nip the emergence of any self-doubt in the bud.
(This article originally appeared on www.bettingzone.co.uk)
