Hereford United gained their second victory of the season beating Carlisle United 1-0 at Edgar Street this evening. Andy Williams scored the only goal of the game fifteen minutes into the second half, before Richard Keogh saw red for a clash with Steve Guinan. 2,300 fans were in attendance, with a credible 174 making the long journey from Cumbria.
The Bulls kept the same side that picked up a point at Brighton, with Sam Gwynne preferred once again to Bradley Hudson-Odoi for a role on right-wing. Matty Done and Simon Johnson failed to return to the bench whilst the visitors included one time Wigan and Cardiff star Graham Kavanagh. One-time trialist Darren Campion started at left-back whilst Danny Graham started up top, looking to add to his 10 goals which sees him top the League One goalscoring charts.
The first-half was a lacklustre affair with both sides failing to create any clear-cut chances, although it was the away side who looked more threatening. In the opening moments, Simon Hackney's pass somehow found its way to Graham, but the striker wasn't clinical and Darren Randolph quickly closed him down inside the box. Minutes later, Graham controlled well twenty yards out and sent a shot on the turn past the post, whilst Luke Joyce poked wide from inside the area. Randolph did well to judge an awkward strike from Hackney, as he switched wings to the right, whilst former Morecambe striker Danny Carlton's cut-back was well dealt with by Karl Broadhurst. Clint Easton fired Hereford's first shot of the half over after a good-break from Williams down the right. At the other end, Randolph made a good close-range save to deny Keogh's header from a Kavanagh corner, before Williams did superbly to turn in the middle of the park before sending a low 30 yard drive goalwards but Ben Alnwick was equal to the effort.
The Bulls started the second period with attacking intent in similar fashion to Brighton on Saturday. An Easton free-kick was headed over by Guinan with Alnwick in no-man's land, whilst Bruno N'Gotty burst forward from the half-way line to test Alnwick with a powerful long shot. The breakthrough came on the sixtieth minute mark, with Williams grabbing his first goal since returning from Bristol Rovers on loan. Easton sent an out-swinging corner into the box, and the ball dropped in the box; Williams was the first-man to swing a boot at it and his powerful effort was past Alnwick before the on loan 'keeper could do anything about it. John Ward responded to going a goal down by bringing on Scott Dobie for Hackney.
Good work from Gwynne down the right saw him slip a pass through to Williams inside the box, but from a very acute angle, his effort was blocked by Alnwick's leg. From the resulting corner, Guinan failed to make a full connection after Richard Rose had flicked the ball on. Jennison Myrie-Williams added some pace to the faltering Carlisle attack, replacing Graham up top, and he looked threatening. However, his arrival was soon over-shadowed by a red-card shown to Keogh. The hard-working Guinan probed the defender as a ball headed out for a throw, and the defender reacted by turning and pushing Guinan to the floor.
Josh Gowling came on for Campion, who was struggling with camp but 10 men Carlisle started to create some half-chances towards the end of the match. Myrie-Williams kept Rose and Easton busy late-on, but couldn't hit the target with a left-foot shot from 20 yards, whilst a wicked deflection off Broadhurst on a Dobie shot made its way harmlessly through to Randolph. Williams may have added to his tally after forcing his way past David Raven on the by-line before shooting over, despite Guinan screaming for the ball in the middle. Myrie-Williams came close to grabbing a point for the Cumbrians after using his pace to cut in past Rose and Easton, but his left-footed shot hit the side-netting. Hereford ran down the clock by bringing on Hudson-Odoi for Williams, and soon after the game was over; United had their second victory of the season.
It wasn't the greatest game in terms of entertainment, but never the less, it was a hugely important win for The Bulls in front of a small crowd at Edgar Street. The partnership of Toumani Diagouraga and Kris Taylor played well once again whilst three clean sheets in the past four games give renewed optimism to Graham Turner and co. If Williams and his fellow strikers can hit some form then a climb out of the relegation zone is a possibility. Next up for United is a home match against Stockport on Saturday.
Hereford: Randolph, Jackson, Broadhurst, N'Gotty, Rose, Gwynne, Diagouraga, Taylor, Easton, Guinan, Williams.
Subs: Samson, Beckwith, Smith, Hudson-Odoi, Chadwick.
Carlisle: Alnwick, Raven, Keogh, Livesey, Campion, Taylor, Kavanagh, Joyce, Hackney, Carlton, Graham.
Subs: Williams, Gowling, Smith, Myrie-Williams, Dobie.
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