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Tonight’s friendly against local side Gloucester City proved to be an entertaining affair, which saw six goals in a 4-2 win for the home side.
Martin Foyle gave starts to Joe Heath and Michael Townsend while recent signings Ryan Bowman and Marlon Jackson started up front in a traditional 4-4-2.
Jackson was quickly into the action with a surging forward run and shot that was blocked by City keeper Mike Green. At the other end, Hanford was decisive coming for an early cross then a Marley Watkins cross from the right saw Clucas’ shot on the volley turned away for a corner. From the flag kick, Simon Clist’s teasing cross deceived the keeper and curled in at the back post to open the scoring.
The City side were soon on level terms however when Edwards was hauled to the ground by Heath (or was it Clist) and Edwards got up to send the spot-kick past Hanford. Heath while under pressure dealt with a good cross from the Gloucester left. After a scrappy ten minutes or so The Bulls started to take control and a long ball forward was won in the air by Bowman who quickly followed his own flick-on to get a shot on goal but Green was down to block and gather at the second attempt.
Bowman got his reward a few minutes later when he got on the end of a Jackson flick to fire home from the edge of the box. The Bulls added to their lead as half time approached. Sam Clucas guided a header into the path of Jackson and the former Bristol City man showed good pace and technique to finish from 15 yards.
Sam Clucas fired just wide from 35 yards while Hogg struck the foot of Hanford’s post with a rasping 20-yarder. The City side got their second just before the break due largely to some slack marking at the back. Townsend was nowhere near Adam Mann who was allowed time to drill home past Hanford.
HT Bulls 3 Gloucester 2
The second period saw the usual pre-season flurry of replacements. Harry Pell joined the fray and showed a far greater interest in proceeding than he had done at Worcester on Saturday. The entire back four was replaced to give opportunities to Bruno Dalibard, the impressive Luke Graham, Will Evans at right back and a player believed to be Clayton Fortune the former Bristol City centre backhoe spent last season at Aldershot.
Mann brought a fine save from Hanford then the Hereford keeper was on his toes to tip a looping over the bar. McQuilkin threaded a ball through to Bowman who guided it forward to Sean "The Hitman" Canham who bundled it over the line at the second attempt. McQuilkin, sporting a new-season haircut crashed a 25-yarder off the crossbar before a couple of late-ish challenges from the visitors slightly spoilt what had been a sporting and largely entertaining 90 minutes (plus a bit) for the 338 who bothered to attend.
It appears to be coming together and with, maybe, a couple of late additions this week Saturday’s Everton game could be well worth watching.
Be there.
Hereford: Hanford; Gallinagh (Pell 46), Townsend (Fortune 46), Stam (Graham 46), Heath (Dalibard 46); Watkins (Feeley? 81), Evans, Clist (Carruthers 72), Clucas; Jackson (Canham 46), Bowman
Martin Foyle gave starts to Joe Heath and Michael Townsend while recent signings Ryan Bowman and Marlon Jackson started up front in a traditional 4-4-2.
Jackson was quickly into the action with a surging forward run and shot that was blocked by City keeper Mike Green. At the other end, Hanford was decisive coming for an early cross then a Marley Watkins cross from the right saw Clucas’ shot on the volley turned away for a corner. From the flag kick, Simon Clist’s teasing cross deceived the keeper and curled in at the back post to open the scoring.
The City side were soon on level terms however when Edwards was hauled to the ground by Heath (or was it Clist) and Edwards got up to send the spot-kick past Hanford. Heath while under pressure dealt with a good cross from the Gloucester left. After a scrappy ten minutes or so The Bulls started to take control and a long ball forward was won in the air by Bowman who quickly followed his own flick-on to get a shot on goal but Green was down to block and gather at the second attempt.
Bowman got his reward a few minutes later when he got on the end of a Jackson flick to fire home from the edge of the box. The Bulls added to their lead as half time approached. Sam Clucas guided a header into the path of Jackson and the former Bristol City man showed good pace and technique to finish from 15 yards.
Sam Clucas fired just wide from 35 yards while Hogg struck the foot of Hanford’s post with a rasping 20-yarder. The City side got their second just before the break due largely to some slack marking at the back. Townsend was nowhere near Adam Mann who was allowed time to drill home past Hanford.
HT Bulls 3 Gloucester 2
The second period saw the usual pre-season flurry of replacements. Harry Pell joined the fray and showed a far greater interest in proceeding than he had done at Worcester on Saturday. The entire back four was replaced to give opportunities to Bruno Dalibard, the impressive Luke Graham, Will Evans at right back and a player believed to be Clayton Fortune the former Bristol City centre backhoe spent last season at Aldershot.
Mann brought a fine save from Hanford then the Hereford keeper was on his toes to tip a looping over the bar. McQuilkin threaded a ball through to Bowman who guided it forward to Sean "The Hitman" Canham who bundled it over the line at the second attempt. McQuilkin, sporting a new-season haircut crashed a 25-yarder off the crossbar before a couple of late-ish challenges from the visitors slightly spoilt what had been a sporting and largely entertaining 90 minutes (plus a bit) for the 338 who bothered to attend.
It appears to be coming together and with, maybe, a couple of late additions this week Saturday’s Everton game could be well worth watching.
Be there.
Hereford: Hanford; Gallinagh (Pell 46), Townsend (Fortune 46), Stam (Graham 46), Heath (Dalibard 46); Watkins (Feeley? 81), Evans, Clist (Carruthers 72), Clucas; Jackson (Canham 46), Bowman
