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A vastly improved performance from Hereford brought a much needed three points this afternoon as visitors Bradford City left Edgar Street a well beaten side. Graham Turner, back in charge after the departure of John Trewick, handed a place in the starting line up to rookie Lewis Young and also gave Beastie Boy Mathieu Manset a chance to show his skills from the kick off. Edrissa Sonko and Leon Constantine made way, with Gavin McCallum, a pre-match doubtful starter after taking a knock against Morecambe, adopting more of a midfield role. The impressive Jake Jervis was also sent on as a substitute for the last twenty minutes, and marked his debut with an excellent goal, not to mention the most luminous pair of boots yet to grace the hallowed turf; ”Dayglo yellow” would be a fair description.
From the outset, the Bulls showed the determination and battling qualities so sadly lacking of late, and the Bantams were not given the time on the ball that previous visitors to the Street had been afforded. In the early exchanges, Hereford won a number of free kicks, from which Marc Pugh created some dangerous situations. Manset played a delightful through ball to Young, whose perceptive cross was agonisingly out of McCallum’s reach. Kenny Lunt was a combative influence in the centre of the park, with one surging run leading to a corner to the home side. Pugh turned cleverly and sent in a teasing cross, and then curled a terrific curling free kick just beyond the far post with Darren Jones onrushing.
Manset too was causing problems, shielding the ball well and showing a lightness of touch rarely seen in someone of his stature. He fell elaborately in the box on one occasion with only very half- hearted appeals for a penalty. In the rare attacks from Bradford, Darren Jones calmly and deliberately snuffed out any through balls, and the implacable Ryan Green, Richard Rose and Ryan Valentine together insured that keeper Adam Bartlett saw little action other than a regulation save from a header and the fielding of a couple of speculative long shots. Indeed, Hereford’s ascendancy was such that the defence could afford to help the forwards’ to create chances. Valentine’s free kick was met with a diving header from Jones which was too close to Matt Glennon in the visitors’ goal.
On 33 minutes the deadlock was finally broken. Pugh’s run was blocked at the expense of a corner, which the winger took himself. A bout of head-tennis ensued, with Valentine looping the ball goalwards to Manset who nodded it over the line. The remainder of the half followed a similar pattern, with the home side the more likely to score. Frustrated Bradford boss Peter Taylor, contemplating an extension to his contract, cracked his normally calm exterior and had to be spoken to by Mr.McDermid. Michael Flynn and James “Desert Song” Hanson almost found a way through, but Jones once again made a timely intervention.
HT: HUFC 1 BRADFORD CITY 0
After the break, Bradford still found a shot on goal a difficult concept, as Hereford continued to close down, harry and chase in a manner not seen for some while.The exception was when Luke Oliver had a clear opening, but Green’s outstanding block saved the day, and Gareth Evans blazed the rebound high into the increasingly stormy sky. Meanwhile, normal service was resumed as Young’s through ball almost released Manset, who then smashed a chance towards the target, where Glennon made a one handed save.
An entertaining phase of the game then saw chances at both ends. Bartlett did well to save a Hanson effort which could easily have deceived him after a wicked deflection, and an acrobatic parabolic effort from Evans only narrowly missed its target. Manset’s marauding run and cut back was blocked before it could reach McCallum A flurry of substitutions then took place as both sides changed their offensive options. Jervis instantly looked a lively and skilful acquisition, winning a corner and then pouncing on some dithering by Matt Clarke. Fellow sub Constantine then set him up, but his shot was comfortably saved. Finally, with 81 minutes on the clock, a sublime piece of skill from the youngster gave him a debut goal and settled the tie. A difficult, high through ball to Jervis was controlled in an instant by one of the aforementioned yellow boots, and then immediately chipped over the advancing keeper and into the net.
Bradford accepted their fate in the closing stages, and one sweeping move from the Bulls almost saw the perfect denouement, but Young, who showed great stamina to last the full 90 minutes, lost control at the vital instant. A delighted home crowd departed, scarcely able to believe that this was (mainly) the same side who had bored and frustrated them in recent games, and relieved that the relegation trapdoor seemed more distant. A final word of praise to the officials, especially Mr. McDermid, whose application of commonsense contributed to the entertainment.
FT: HUFC 2 BRADFORD CITY 0
Attendance: 1926 including 332 from Yorkshire.
HUFC: Bartlett, Valentine, Rose, Jones, Green, Pugh, McQuilkin, Lunt, McCallum (Jervis 70), Manset (Constantine 71), Young.
BRADFORD CITY: Glennon, Clarke, Bateson, Threlfall, Oliver, Flynn, Bullock (McCammon 59), Grant (Daley 51), Bolder, Evans (Kendall77), Hanson.
