Hereford United failed to continue their recent impressive form as they could only manage a draw at lowly Forest Green Rovers. Graham Turner had to make a couple of forced changes, so Darren Blewitt started along side Tamika Mkandawire at the back as Dean Beckwith was banned and Tony James was injured. Andy Ferrell was also out injured and so Craig Stanley regained his starting place.
Julian Alsop was a constant threat for Rovers, as he troubled the United defence with his height and strength, which resembled Forest Green's general style. Their physical approach disrupted The Bulls' game as they struggled to make anything of the first half. Alsop was first to threaten, but he headed wide before Stanley, Adam Stanfield and Rob Purdie all had efforts, which came to nothing.
Paul Wanless came close to breaking the deadlock with twenty minutes gone, when he found himself with some space just ten yards out. Unmarkerd, he controlled a cross into the box but saw his low drive beaten away by the on-rushing Craig Mawson. Fifteen minutes later though, Mawson was beaten. It was against the run of play, but Green countered well on the mis-positioned Alex Jeannin, who'd just been involved in an attack. Alex Meechan paced away down the left, from just inside the Hereford half, turned Mkandawire and fired beyond the reach of the advancing Mawson and into the bottom corner.
After the restart, United came out with renewed hope and started to pressure the hosts again, and it paid off little more than ten minutes into the half. Purdie delivered a free kick into the box and Mkandawire out-jumped 'keeper Ryan Clarke and looped a header into the far corner for the equaliser. Guy Ipoua then burst into life as The Bulls searched for the lead and the Cameroonian should have netted when he controlled Andy Williams' cross, but was denied by a smart save. Moments later, he superbly turned his man on the edge of the box but fired against the cross bar.
Just as it seemed that Forest Green had weathered the storm, Alex Jeannin put Hereford in front with a goal, pretty much, out of nothing. The Frenchman played a one-two with Purdie and lobbed Clarke with a wonderful twenty yard volley, much to the delight of the 1,000 or so away fans. However, their jubilation was short lived, as they paid for a lapse in concentration and Rovers were level again just two minutes later.
Super-sub Guy Madjo, who didn't start because he turned up to the game late (a good thing for United, as he caused plenty of problems when introduced), latched onto a long ball and held off Mkandawire and Jeannin before firing a well placed half volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Hereford tried take the lead for a second time but couldn't create a lot in the remaining ten minutes, and it was Madjo again who almost stole a winner for the hosts in injury time, but Mawson was out quickly to deny him the chance.
All in all, it was a very disappointing afternoon for Hereford at The Lawn, as they would have fully expected to take all three points at the start of the afternoon. A lacklusture first half performance meant that they had it all to do in the second half, and it was a lapse in concentration that spoilt their second half efforts as, other than the goal, they were rarely troubled in the second period. The attendance of 1,957 was the highest of the season for Rovers, in which the home fans were seemingly outnumbered by the away supporters.
HUFC: Mawson, Travis, Mkandawire, Blewitt, Jeannin, Purdie, Stanley, Pitman, Williams, Ipoua, Stansfield. Subs: Gwynne, Brady, Brown, Evans, Carey-Bertram.
FGRFC: Clarke, Simpson, Richardson, Graham, Searle, Meechan, Gadsby, Wanless, Harding, Alsop, Teixeira. Subs: Harrison, Rogers, Rendell,Garner, Madjo .
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