Bulls win at Macclesfield

A Sam Clucas goal just three minutes into the game was enough to give Hereford United three points at the Moss Rose this afternoon.

Stefan Stam returned to the starting line-up with Rod McDonald dropping to the bench in an otherwise unchanged side.  Former Bull Waide Fairhurst started for the hosts with ex-Forest Green striker Guy Madjo partnering him up front.

Macclesfield’s early tidy possession came to nothing and when Stam played a flighted ball forward, a poor clearance resulted in The Bulls snatching the lead.

Sam Clucas seized on the loose ball and side-stepped a defender before firing a blistering shot into the corner of the net from just outside the box.

Players Gather Around Sam Clucas After His Goal

Kissock got past Bush on the right but his cross hit behind for a goal kick.  Joe Connor fed Sharp who was marauding down the right but his ball inside evaded the advancing Bowman.  Fullback Braham-Barrett sent a speculative ball forward but Bittner was quickly off his line to gather.

Clucas forced a corner on the left, which Marley Watkins whipped in.  Clucas directed the ball back across goal but Chris Sharp spurned the opportunity lifting over from ten yards when a goal looked certain.  Uncharacteristic indecision by Graham almost let Fairhurst in on goal but Bittner was alert to the threat and hoisted the ball upfield.

Fermino tried a long range shot that failed to test Bittner before the Bulls’ keeper had to be out quickly to smother following a surging run from deep by Macclesfield’s Ryan Jackson.  Bush’s long throw found Watkins but his shot went wide before Bittner comfortably dealt with Peter Wynn’s cross.

A short corner on the right drew a foul on Kingsley James and Sam Clucas free kick was headed wide from close range by Sharp.  Then another Clucas flag kick saw Stam’s header tipped over by home keeper Taylor.  Guy Madjo forced a save from Bittner and Bush completed the clearance upfield to who saw his shot deflected for a corner.  Watkins took the kick himself from which Bowman glanced a header inches wide of the upright.

Ryan Bowman With A Chance

HT Macclesfield 0 Bulls 1

Whilst the first half had produced enough chances for The Bulls to be at least three goals to the good, the second period was a dour affair with the hosts having the greater share of possession. 

Kingsley James was harshly penalised when Sam Wedgbury threw a leg out to invoke a tumble and win a free kick, which was cleared by Stam.  Chris Bush sent a diagonal ball out to Marley Watkins and from the cross, Sharp headed wide under pressure from Pablo Mills.  A Clucas shot whistled past the post with the keeper beaten then Bush and Watkins combined to produce a chance crossing chance for Clucas but his curling ball drifted beyond the back post and out for a goal kick.

Chris Bush

Joe Heath replaced Bush just short of the hour mark and immediately allowed fellow substitute Mackreth to get the beating of him and deliver a dangerous cross but Stam was well positioned to clear.  Another Mackreth cross from the right found Wynn on the edge of the box but he blazed high and wide.

Marlon Jackson replaced the hard-running Chris Sharp with twenty-five minutes remaining but it was Macclesfield who continued to threaten with Heath given a torrid time by Mackreth.  One cross in particular being headed wide by Madjo with the goal gaping and another requiring a back post headed clearance by Connor.

Ryan Bowman found himself in a deeper midfield role leaving Jackson up front on his own but a combination of lethargy and poor service meant he failed to make an impression on the game to earn a couple of rebukes from the travelling Bulls in the crowd of 1687.

FT Macclesfield 0 Bulls 1

Hereford: Bittner, Conner, Graham, Stam, Bush (Heath 57), Watkins, James, O’Keefe, Clucas, Sharp (Jackson 67), Bowman. Subs not used: McDonald, Smikle, Jones.

Macclesfield: Taylor, Jackson, Audel, P Mills, Braham-Barrett, Kissock (Gnahoua 75), Fermino (Mackreth 55), Wedgbury, Finn, Fairhurst, Madjo. Subs not used: Martin, Amores, A Mills.

The first half was fine following a bright start by The Bulls and they should have had the game sewn up by the break.  Macclesfield had far more possession after the break but The Bulls defence held firm despite a fairly sketchy showing from Heath in the closing half hour.  Chris Sharp, again, worked hard but missed a few good chances and Ryan Bowman looked a threat despite still not appearing to have got used to working with Sharp.

Chris Sharp

Clucas and Watkins worked the flanks well as usual and Kingsley James and Josh O’Keefe got through the midfield graft.  Marlon Jackson’s time on the pitch was less impressive at a time when one would have thought that earning a contract might have been further forward in his thoughts.

See you at Forest Green on Tuesday.

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