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Ten years ago today Hereford United played Scarborough at Edgar Street. Here's a look back at the game from the BN archives.
HEREFORD UNITED 1 Scarborough 1
Hereford United recorded their eleventh home draw of the season in the Nationwide Conference as Scarborough held the Bulls to a 1-1 draw. With just one point between the two sides before kick off, this match was always going to be close.
The home side were without the suspended Matt Clarke and Rob Elmes, who was ill, but Paul Sturgess recovered from injury in time to be named in Graham Turner's starting line up. Jimmy Quiggin and Gavin Williams formed the attack, with John Shirley pushed into the right back role and Ian Rodgerson playing on the right side of midfield.
The Seadogs, managed by Neil Thompson, were without the suspended defender Shaun Rennison, and Romain Faure missed out with calf strain.
Hereford United started well, and played the better football in the opening ten minutes. However, the away side soon settled into the game and ended up taking control and it was no surprise when they went into the lead. Jamie Burt squandered a good chance in the early period, and Burt made Cooksey save on twenty four minutes as the goalkeeper tipped his effort away. From the resultant corner, defender Paul Ellender volleyed Scarborough in front.
This gave Hereford a spark to come back. Paul Parry picked up the ball in the middle of the park, and then proceeded to make a superb goalward run. However, he stuttered and fluffed his shot when one-on-one with Scarborough 'keeper Andy Woods. Soon after, Tony James hit a shot goalwards only to see it headed clear. Hereford were certainly now on top of the game.
On thirty three minutes, Ian Rodgerson netted a rare goal to level the scores. John Shirley broke away on the right wing before providing a fine cross into the box, and Rodgerson blasted his header home at the Meadow End to draw the scores level.
From then on, Hereford played with more commitment, attacking at Scarborough but failing to find the net.
The second half was something of a bore. Gareth Stoker forced Cooksey to make a low save, but otherwise there were little in the way of early chances. Eleven minutes in, Gavin Williams and Paul Parry worked well together before Phil Robinson had a header well saved by Woods.
The introduction of Kerry Giddings for Jimmy Quiggin just after the hour gave the home side more strength in attack, but it had little effect against a concrete Scarborough defence.
Kerry Giddings provided the ball to Ian Rodgerson, who hit the crossbar on seventy seven minutes to wake up more than a few of the supporters for both sides, but there was very little in the way of goalmouth action on offer.
Soon after, Cooksey saved well from Ellender, and several other Scarborough attacks were scuppered by good use of the offside ruling by the home defence.
Paul Parry went down injured for the second time in the game, and this time was stretchered off with a leg injury after a delay to proceedings. Steve Piearce came on to play his first match since 2nd December, when he scored at Morecambe. He did manage to create an effort for John Snape, but the midfielder hit the twenty yard effort well over the crossbar.
Referee Mr. K. Stroud of Bournemouth cautioned four players, all for fouls. Scarborough's Paul Atkinson was booked on thirty two minutes, with Paul Sturgess cautioned after ten minutes of the second period. Paul Ellender was lucky not to be sent off after several reckless challenges, and was cautioned on eighty six minutes for a challenge on Kerry Giddings. The caution was Ellender's sixteenth of the season, and Scott Cooksey made a late tackle on substitute Cherif Diallo in added time. After being shown the yellow card, Cooksey redeemed himself by saving the resulting free kick.
An attendance of 1,304 watched this one, and there was little to tempt Hereford fans into returning for the final home league game against Morecambe next Saturday. A typical end of season encounter with little to play for ended with the deserved result - a draw.
Hereford - Cooksey, Shirley, Wright, James, Sturgess, Quiggin, Rodgerson, Robinson, Snape, Williams, Parry
Substitutions - Giddings (62), Piearce (83).
Man of the Match - John Shirley.
