Bulls register back-to-back wins on the road

Stefan Stam Leading The Players Out Onto The Pitch

Goals from Luke Graham, Ryan Bowman and Josh O’Keefe earned The Bulls three points at Edgeley Park this evening and pushed United up to SEVENTH in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Martin Foyle named an unchanged side for the fourth game in a row while Stockport gave home debuts to keeper Richard O’Donnell and former Bull Simon Hackney.

An early Stam clearance almost put Watkins away but the ball ran out of play before Bittner was brought into the action to save a Cullen shot.  Clucas broke from a defensive position but was unfairly impeded and needed treatment for a bang in the face.

A chipped ball forward by Gallinagh found Sharp who was pushed in the back to give The Bulls a free kick that was cleared under pressure by the Hatters defence.  Kingsley James tried a shot from distance that brought a save from O’Donnell on fifteen minutes before Stockport took the lead when a Cullen shot was saved by Bittner but the rebound was turned in by Adnan Cirak.  Bittner was harshly booked for colliding with Cullen after having made the save.

Ryan Bowman flicked a ball forward to O’Keefe as he burst into the box but a waving flag halted the threat.  A long diagonal Clucas pass almost found Watkins and the next break produced The Bulls first corner from which United got the equaliser.

Luke Graham's Header Is Goalbound

A well-worked corner routine enabled Luke Graham to rise and head a fine goal just short of the half hour mark.

Hackney was frequently involved as the hosts produced some decent passing football as The Bulls dropped into their familiar defensive shape.  O’Donnell collected Musa’s long throw before Bowman laid off to James but his through ball found Sharp in an offside position.  Sharp was then caught again when a Clucas/Bowman combination got the ball forward.

Three first half minutes of added time failed to produce any further score with Stockport having shaded the possession in the first period.

HT Stockport 1  Bulls 1

The Bulls kicked off the second half attacking their fans in the away end and an early chance saw Sam Clucas lift the ball over O’Donnell only for it to land on the roof of the net.  Clucas then forced a  corner from which Watkins dragged his effort just wide before a Stockport shot sailed high over the bar.

United were looking the brighter of the two side in the early stages of the second half with Watkins and Clucas both looking threatening.  A long Musa throw found Sharp in space but his hurried shot was blocked by O’Donnell.  Then The Bulls took the lead with ten minutes played.  Watkins checked inside his fullback before sending a fine cross to Bowman who sent a bullet header in at the back post.

Players Gather Around Bowman After The Striker Scores His 18th Goal Of The Season

Watkins was penalised for a needless push and then collected a silly yellow card for throwing the ball away.  Graham blocked a Stockport shot following a corner before another period of tidy possession by the hosts again failed to produce a threat on goal.

Gallinagh cleared a deep cross by Cullen at the expense of a corner from which Stockport grabbed a leveller.  The corner was not attacked by the Bulls defence and the ball was forced home by defender Tunnicliffe with twenty minutes of the half played.

Sharp released Bowman but Newton was quickly across to block the shot from The Bulls top scorer.  Stam, hampered by what appeared to be a back problem, was caught out by a through ball and Bittner had to be alert to save from Cullen before Bowman dragged a shot across goal as the game opened up.

Sharp cut in from wide and sent a shot high and wide,  Heath replaced Musa at left back and Marlon Jackson took over from Sharp as Foyle freshened the team with some fresh legs with seventeen minutes remaining.

Gallinagh made a rare sortie into the opponents box and tried a shot that was saved before Stam had another good header saved on the line.  Stockport threw on Paul Marshall and Danny Hattersley.  But it was The Bulls who retook the lead on eighty minutes.

Heath drilled a free kick into the box that fell to Jackson and his driven cross was headed in by Josh O’Keefe.

Josh O'Keefe Scored The Winner

 Watkins caused problems for the home defence with a couple of darting runs as The Bulls looked good value for their second half lead.  Stam cleared a cross from Hackney then another substitution saw the hosts change the second striker in Whitehead in place of Cullen.  Kingsley James forced an error from Whitehead with good persistent pressing and McDonald came on to replace Watkins as Martin Foyle looked to see the game out.

Marley Watkins Taking A Corner - Shortly Afterwards He Was Subbed

A Stockport throw was heaved onto the roof of the stand by Gallinagh as the officials offered an extra four minutes.  Bittner was out to clear with a hefty hoof downfield and Graham cleared a corner as The Bulls showed great determination to hang on and send the 78 travelling fans in the crowd of 2618 home the happier.

FT Stockport 2 Bulls 3

Hereford:- Bittner, Gallinagh, Graham, Stam, Musa (Heath 75), Watkins (McDonald 88), James, O’Keefe, Sharp (Jackson 75), Bowman.  Unused Curruthers, Smikle.

Stockport:- O’Donnell, Hall, Newton, Hammar, Tunnicliffe, Sharidan (Marshall 77), Nolan, Mainwaring, Hackney, Cullen (Whitehead 85), Cirak (Hattersley 78).  Unused Ormson, Fagbola.

A fine hard-working and deserved win for The Bulls having come from behind to create the better opportunities in the second half.  Once again, Jackson’s introduction provided the spark after Sharp had run the legs off the opposition in the first hour.  It’s a tactic that is serving Martin Foyle well.

Bring on those Nuneaton boys on Saturday

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