Exiles versus Bulls - Another Preview

Here's an another preview for tomorrow's game at Rodney Parade between Newport County and Hereford United.

There tend to be two types of relegated team, at least as far as non-league is concerned. The club driven by the misguided belief that they have fallen this far by a misalignment of the stars and that the weight of their history and fanbase ought to be enough to see them springing immediately back up. And the other outfit, who are in such a state of disarray following relegation that simply avoiding combustion counts as a significant triumph.

It is rare for either group to enjoy success. Not since 2005, when Carlisle bounced back to secure a swift promotion, has a relegated side returned to the Football League at the first time of asking. But encouragingly for Hereford United, they would not appear to fall into either category.

Their demise was not wholly unexpected and though the club admit there have been financial concerns in recent months, they have enough of a base from which to build a team capable of competing at this level. And, perhaps more importantly, they have a manager with a sound knowledge of the division. Boss Martin Foyle spent two years with York between 2008 and 2010 before arriving at Edgar Street in the summer to sift through the debris left by Jamie Pitman, Richard O’Kelly and relegation.

And despite losing the likes of Yoann Arquin, Joe Colbeck and Adam Bartlett, Foyle has built on the youthful foundations of the players left behind, adding useful doses of experience in the shape of Chris Carruthers, Andy Gallinagh and Brian Smikle. While the likes of Sam Clucas, Marley Watkins and Harry Pell – who impressed on loan at Cambridge United last term – appear to have quickly taken to the demands of non-league.

This is a club with a culture of modesty. They did not begin the campaign with the sort of bombast and bluster which Luton and Oxford adopted in their inaugural seasons in the Blue Square Bet Premier. And ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to leaders Newport, we fancy United to continue their encouraging start to the year.

The hosts have seen off all-comers so far, buoyed by the wealth of boss Justin Edinburgh’s experience as well as the wealth of the club’s board, which now includes Euro Millions winner Les Scadding, who was appointed chairman last week.

But while their side is brimming with non-league know-how, including strikers Danny Crow, Jefferson Louis and five-goal Aaron O’Connor, as well as Andy Sandell, Tony James and Ismail Yakubu, we reckon the visitors can combat County’s all-guns-blazing approach.

Louis, Crow, O’Connor and Sandell all started against Braintree on Saturday as the Exiles fell behind before a late comeback, precipitated in part by the arrival of yet another striker – Ryan Charles – ten minutes from time. In the end that power was too much for their opponents, but the Bulls look better set to cope with an onslaught. In Gallinagh, Carruthers and Michael Townsend, they have the experience to ward off County’s attacking intent.

Foyle has seen enough expensively-assembled, quality-rich sides in his time not to be fazed by another promotion hopeful of that ilk and though the hosts look likely to be fighting in the top five this term, there will be hiccups along the way, as was so nearly the case in Essex last time out.

Edinburgh’s men did cruise past Nuneaton 4-0 in their second outing of the campaign, but they shipped three goals in victory at Mansfield on the opening day and have since endured nervy clashes with Lincoln and Braintree (both ending 2-1). At 21/10 the unbeaten Bulls look to be worth an investment in South Wales.

This preview was written by Henry Milward and first appeared on the Best of the Bets website  

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