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A goal from Josh O’Keefe just before the break was enough to defeat a visiting Dartford team that played with ten men for all but forty minutes of this evening’s poorly attended Conference fixture at Edgar Street.
Martin Foyle, without the injured Marlon Jackson, gave a start to Ryan Bowman and drafted in Joe Heath at right back in place of Joe Connor who took a place on the bench while former Bull Richard Rose was lording it at left back for the visitors.
Sam Clucas’ attack down the left drew a handball from which Kingsley James’ free kick was turned away for an early corner. Clucas whipped in the flag kick and Stefan Stam’s header was just over as The Bulls made a bright start.
With just ten minutes played Chris Curruthers was forced to leave the field after what looked like a turned ankle following a challenge and was replaced by Connor who took the right defensive role with Heath moving to his normal position on the left.
Burns loaded a free kick into the box, which deceived Bittner, but Stam was on hand to clear. Then Clucas put Marley Watkins through on goal but a timely challenge from Noble cleared the threat. Kingsley James produced a dangerous cross, which Sharp headed down but the ball got away from Watkins as he shaped to shoot.
Stefan Stam intercepted an intended through ball and immediately released Bowman on goal but Ryan delayed getting a shot off and his late effort was blocked with Sharp blazing the rebound over the bar. A Chris Sharp cross from the right produced a glancing header from Clucas that went wide with keeper Louis Wells scrambling to make his ground.
Another clever forward ball from Stam found James but his first time feed to Sharp failed to find the desired result as the former Telford man’s indecision allowed the visiting defence to clear. Then, on 37 minutes, The Bulls took the lead.
Marley Watkins produced a bit of magic on the left to create space for a cross and when the ball was laid off by Sharp, Josh O’Keefe was able to sidestep a challenge and fire home from twelve yards.
A second goal should have followed straight from the restart when Watkins put Bowman through on goal and Mark Arber brought him down in the box. Arber received a straight red but Bowman’s attempt at a dinked strike was scuffed and rebounded to safety off the keeper’s legs.
HT Bulls 1 Dartford 0
A driving Sam Clucas run earned a corner straight after the break that was cleared before Joe Connor sent in a teasing cross from the right. The Bulls were dictating play in midfield in this period but some poor decisions in the final third wasted the good work from midfield and the flanks. Bowman and Watkins were a little unfortunate when there good link up play was hampered by a bobble off the surface but when Sharp broke on the right, his cross was too close to the keeper who easily claimed.
Clucas switched to the right and cut inside to feed Sharp but his shot was well wide of the target when a return pass to Clucas was the better option. Another opportunity went begging when Connor’s fine cross was headed straight at Wells by Sharp from just six yards out.
Bowman pulled right to deliver a telling cross but no Bulls player could get the vital touch and Champion was relieved to see his sliced clearance balloon over the bar. Marley Watkins went on the jinking crossfield run from the right but sadly he delayed his pass and the moment evaporated without threat on the goal.
The game closed with Sam Clucas cutting in and firing over from the corner of the box as the crowd of just 662 turned to head for the warmth of the bar or their own firesides.
Hereford: Bittner, Heath, Graham, Stam, Carruthers (Connor 11), Watkins, James, O’Keefe, Clucas; Bowman, Sharp. Subs not used: Hanford, McDonald, Smikle, Jones.
Dartford: Wells; Rose (Hayes 81), Arber, Bonner, Burns; Rogers, Champion, Bradbrook, Noble; Sheringham (Collier 71), Prior (Erskine 77). Sub not used: Green.
I’ve seen better but I’ve also seen much worse than this latest offering from The Bulls. Joe Connor’s benching and almost immediate re-appearance produced a more solid performance and several decent crosses as defensively The Bulls looked fairly sound.
The midfield seemed more combative than of late but still lacked the option of an easy ball far too often. Clucas and Watkins were pretty active on the flanks but sadly the srikeforce were both guilty of wasting decent opportunities to put the result beyond doubt.
Directions and general Woking travel nonsense tomorrow.
