Bulls stun Wrexham with late winner

Chris Todd Applauding Hereford Supporters After The Game

Goals from Luke Graham and Chris Todd enabled The Bulls to return from The Racecourse with three points despite a dubious reply from Stephen Wright.

Martin Foyle had played the kidology game with Ryan Bowman who was named in the starting eleven while Luke Graham came in at right back in place of the sickly Gallinagh.  Harry Pell, available after serving his suspension, was made to wait, as he was included on the bench.

The Bulls kicked off attacking the redundant kop terrace end with a brief sortie down the left before the hosts responded with their own move through the centre.  Centre forward, Wright was a bit naughty with his follow through onto Stam’s ankle early on but from a long clearance The Bulls forced a corner from which they opened the scoring on eight minutes.

Sam Clucas whipped in the flag-kick, Will Evans headed back across goal and Chris Todd was first to the ball heading in from close range to notch his first goal since April 2011. 

A Very Happy Chris Todd

Wright made a wild challenge on Todd when making no attempt to go for the ball but Dodge’s magic sponge came to the rescue.  Clucas was quick to close down Jay Harris as he shaped to shoot and Simon Clist was penalised for his challenge on aging former Walsall man Dean Keates.  McQuilkin And Graham were kept busy defending the right while Stefan Stam was, once again, putting in a polished performance at the back.  Pressure from Clist produced a corner but Coughlin in the home goal collected Stam’s back post header.

Harris’ long-range effort fell into the arms of Bittner before Harris’s "grab a shirt and fall down" antic failed to impress referee Handley.  An uncharacteristic moment of indecision in The Bulls’ back division brought a few hearts to mouths before Bitts was finally able to fall on the ball.  As the half closed, Quilks curled a fine corner to the near post but Coughlin was able to clear.

HT Wrexham 0 Bulls 1

Wrexham manager Andy Morrell withdrew himself from the action at the break bringing on wide man Adrian Cieslewicz who quickly showed his pace down the right before Wright, again, was late following through into Todd well after the ball had been cleared.  Westwood sliced a clearance, which almost put Bowman in on goal, but Coughlin was quick to clear up field.

From a corner, the hosts drew level in questionable circumstances.  Dean Keates’ inswinging flag kick saw Bittner impeded as he came to claim and the ball rebounded off the far post for Stephen Wright to hook home from a yard out.  The aggrieved Bittner continued his complaints too long for the referee’s liking and he was carded for his protestations.   

An Unhappy Bittner - Click On Any Pic To Enlarge

Foyle freshened his team by bringing on Pell and Smikle with Quilks and Evans making way. 

Luke Graham floated a free kick in which Clucas headed straight at Coughlin and Harry Pell’s effort was hurried and wide of the target before The Bulls were a little fortunate to see a Wrexham shot come back off the upright.  Keates robbed Pell in centre field but the industrious O’Keefe was on hand to prevent the move developing.  A Wrexham move down the right finished with Harris glancing a header just over the bar then, as the game entered the four minutes of extra time, The Bulls scored the deciding goal.  

Pell Goes Down Which Gives The Bulls A Free Kick

 Harry Pell was dragged back after he’d duped Joe Clarke and Clucas sent in the perfect free kick for Luke Graham to thump a header into the net from five yards.

Luke Graham Celebrates Hereford's Winner

FT Wrexham 1  Bulls 2

Hereford: Bittner, Graham, Todd, Stam, Heath, McQuilkin (Pell 63), Clist, O’Keefe, Evans (Smikle 63), Clucas, Bowman.  Unused: Hanford, Marsh, Perry.

Wrexham: Coughlin, Wright, Ashton, Westwood, Devine, Harris, Keates, Clarke, Wright (Ogelby 81), Morrell (Cieslewicz 46), Rushton.  Unused: Alfrei, Riley, Hunt.

Attendance: 3620 including 249 from Hereford.

 Hereford United Supporters At The Final Whistle

It was another defensive masterpiece from The Bulls but with plenty of attacking thrown in for good measure.  Once again, Ryan Bowman ploughed the lone furrow up front and was unlucky with a couple of efforts whilst the interesting statistic of the day was that neither goalscorer had found the net for over a year.  Luke Graham’s was his first since March 2010 when he netted for York against Tamworth at Bootham Crescent.

Right, who do you fancy in The Trophy?

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