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Hereford United came away from The Broadfield Stadium with a fine 3-
0 win against promotion chasing Crawley this afternoon. A second half strike from Joe Colbeck and a pair from Yoann Arquin stunned the hosts and disrupted their planned promotion celebration.
Richard O’Kelly was forced into a late change when top scorer Tom Barkhuizen was taken ill. Colbeck got the nod with Harry Pell also given a start in place of Will Evans who found himself without a place on a bench that saw the return of Simon Clist and James McQuilkin.
From the kick-off, Purkiss sent a long ball forward which Facey flicked into the path of Colbeck but his driven cross went out on the far side. Crawley responded with an Alexander cross that was stabbed home by Billy Clarke but the assistant’s flag was already fluttering in the wind. Harry Pell broke down the left and his dangerous ball into the box was hacked away by the giant Claude Davis.
Referee Russell incurred the wrath of the travelling Herefordians when McFadzean unleashed a thunderbolt that cannoned off a Hereford player who was stood less than a yard away and awarded a free kick. Intentional? Not a chance. Could it have been avoided? Not a chance. Where do these referee’s get these imaginary rules from? Russell then allowed advantage to Crawley but when they misplaced a pass he brought play back to award them a free kick. Two advantages? How strange therefore that when Captain Purdie was blatantly shoved out of the away nothing was given.
With half an hour on the clock, good work by Lunt and Facey set up Featherstone but his effort was straight at keeper Kuipers. Then with seven minutes of the half remaining a Crawley corner was cleared up field and Colbeck broke through with only the keeper to beat. Kuipers was well out of his area as he palmed the ball to safety but the referee, surprisingly, only produced a yellow card. Kenny Lunt’s effort from the resulting free kick was dealt with by the lucky Kuipers. The half finished with a disappointing display of so-called professionalism when Billy Clarke took an extended motionless lie down before eventually jogging back to the halfway line to deny the undertakers a days pay.
HT Crawley 0 Bulls 0
The hosts had looked the more threatening in the first period with their brutal, direct style but United’s defence had held firm with the help of a few last ditch clearances.
A Crawley cross from the left was volleyed a foot wide by McFadzean before The Bulls took a slightly fortunate lead. Colbeck chased a through ball that should have been dealt with by Kuipers and defender Dean Howell but the pair conspired to abdicate responsibility and Joebeck was able to tap into an empty net.
Adam Bartlett brought hearts to the mouths of the visiting fans with a poor clearance but the resulting Torres’ shot rebounded off the bar before Kenny Lunt gifted another opportunity but recovered to get in a great saving tackle. Then, when Scott Davies sent in a rocket from the edge of the box, Bartlett reacted superbly to tip over.
With the home side pushing for an equaliser, they were careless at the back to allow both Facey and Arquin (on for Colbeck) to break clear. Facey deftly rounded the keeper and squared to Arquin who gratefully finished unchallenged.
With the home side pushing for an equaliser, they were careless at the back to allow both Facey and Arquin (on for Colbeck) to break clear. Facey deftly rounded the keeper and squared to Arquin who gratefully finished unchallenged.
With the casual home fans already heading for the exits, The Bulls struck again through Arquin. This time the mercurial Frenchman fired home from 18 yards after outpacing his marker to send a delighted 367 visitors out of a total gate of 4615 home to sweat for another week.
FT Crawley 0 Bulls 3
Hereford: Bartlett, Purkiss, Townsend, Anthony, Chambers, Featherstone, Pell, Lunt (McQuilkin 87), Purdie, Colbeck (Arquin 69), Facey (Stam 85). Subs not used: Clist, Clucas.
Crawley: Kuipers, Simpson, Wassmer, Davis, Howell (Neilson 70), Davies (Akinde 83), McFadzean, Torres, Bulman, Clarke (Watt 77), Alexander. Subs not used: Shearer, Mills.
Saturday it is then.
