Bulls comfortably beaten at Salisbury

Hereford United slumped to a 4-1 defeat at Salisbury while turning in probably the most lack-lustre performance of recent years.  Two first half goals by the hosts were followed by another pair late in the game making Sam Smith’s reply little more than a consolation.

Danny Leadbitter Played As A WingBack In The First Half

Martin Foyle experimented with a 3-5-2 formation employing Danny Leadbitter and Chris Bush as wing-backs.  Rod McDonald overcame his strain at Hornchurch to line up in the back three with Dom Collins and Luke Graham.  A central three of O’Keefe, Purdie and Artus were tasked with providing opportunities for Ross Dyer and, somewhat surprisingly, Sam Smith.  Former Bull’s keeper and dance specialist James Bittner was named on the bench for Salisbury.

The initial exchanges were edgy and erratic from both sides with just an off-target effort from Artus but when Salisbury settled they took an early lead.  Danny Leadbitter’s indecision conceded a corner and Frear’s cross was headed in by Kamdjo with just nine minutes played.

Salisbury's First Goal

A pair of corners filed to produce any threat then another speculative effort from Artus flew wide of the mark following a decent Hereford move through midfield.  A period of control by Salisbury produced little until a mistake on twenty-eight minutes resulted in a second goal.

The ball was played across the edge of the box and Dan Fitchett’s shot took a deflection to creep in just inside the upright.

Chris Bush picked up a yellow that will keep him out of the Burton game just before the break and as the half closed, Rob Purdie curled a free kick over the wall but it was comfortably gathered by home custodian Will Puddy. 

Purdie And Bush Debating Over Which One Should Take The Free-Kick

HT Salisbury 2 Bulls 0

With the experimental formation clearly not working, Martin Foyle reverted to a back four in the second period with Chris Bush withdrawn for Michael Rankine to join the attack.  Leadbitter moved to a conventional left back slot as United adopted a 4-3-3 approach. 

Substitute Rankine Provided A Bit More Beef Up Front

Rankine announced his arrival with a robust challenge on central defender James Clarke and collected a yellow just thirty seconds on the pitch.  The Bulls seemed to be taking more of the initiative in the opening third of the second half and got a goal back with half an hour remaining.  A corner taken by Rob Purdie was met by a Rankine header and Sam Smith’s further header found the net from close range.

Get In!

Buoyed by the success, The Bulls stormed forward albeit in a less than orderly fashion in search of an equaliser.  Good work by Purdie, Artus and O’Keefe released Smith down the right but with Rankine and Dyer poised in the box his cross was directed straight into the waiting arms of Puddy. 

An Artus flag kick flew dangerously across the face of the goal without a Hereford player able to get a positive strike on goal before another Artus cross found Smith unmarked but his leap was miss-timed and the ball sailed to the safety of a goal kick. 

With twenty minutes remaining Kevin Krans joined the action in place of Rob Purdie and ten minutes later Artus was withdrawn in favour of Dan Walker.

Salisbury's Stuart Sinclair Clears A Corner

With five strikers on the pitch and O’Keefe still looking to join the attack it was little surprise that The Bulls’ back line would be left exposed and two late goals from Salisbury completed a miserable night for United.

A move down the right, which included a deft handball, finished with Fitchett grabbing his second from 10 yards and deep into stoppage time substitute Ben Wright side footed home from twenty-five yards past a ponderous Rhys Evans.

FT Salisbury 4 Bulls 1

Hereford: Evans, McDonald, Graham, Collins, Leadbitter, Purdie (Krans 67), O’Keefe, Artus (Walker 82), Bush (Rankine 46), Dyer, Smith. Subs unused: Edwards, Gwynne.

Salisbury: Puddy, Kamdjo, Clarke, Wilson, Dutton, Sinclair, Lewis (Wellard 55), McPhee, Frear (MacDonald 90), Fitchett, Feeney (Wright 82). Subs unused: Bittner, Thomson.

Att: 1112 with around 150 from The Shire.

Whilst many, including myself, have been calling for the pace of Leadbitter to be employed further up the pitch it was surprising for it to come at the expense of a defensive formation that, in the main, has been pretty reliable.

Salisbury’s formation was similar but they seemed more comfortable with the shape and had strikers that, although lacking in height, found space to receive the ball and held it far better than the Hereford front line.  Until Michael Rankine came on after the interval, The Bulls lacked focus and determination up top and the gradual withdrawal of the midfield simply served to allow the hosts back into a match that had appeared to be drifting away from them.

It was certainly time for a change but maybe this was too radical and perhaps employed the wrong pieces of the jigsaw?

Worrying times.  Let’s all go and watch the youth on Wednesday.

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