Test

Monday, September 10, 2012

Bartlett Feared The Meadow End

Former Bulls keeper Adam Bartlett has told the Non-League Paper about the nightmare his final 18 months at Edgar Street were.

The former Kidderminster stopper's injury problems and loss of form left him needing to leave the Bulls 'for footballing reasons':

"In the last 18 months at Hereford, I started making silly mistakes. Some of them were horrific and I could sense the fans in the Meadow End turning.

"I could feel that maybe they didn't trust me like they should, and it started to have a negative effect. I started to feel mentally like I didn't belong, and it had a big effect on the way I was. I lost a lot of confidence both on and off the field."

Bartlett then recalls the home match with Swindon in Feburary, when he spilled a cross right into the striker's path for the winner: "You hear the stick from the fans. Not long after that the ball went into the crowd behind the goal, someone threw it back to me and I got a big cheer for catching it.

"That's off your home fans, and it just got to a point where although I was contracted there for another season on a lot better money than I'm on now, I needed to go somewhere else for footballing reasons."

Bartlett talks in the full interview in the paper about his mother's illness - she's on the road to recovery after six months of chemotherapy - and ends wishing the Bulls all the best as he doesn't "hold anything against anyone there."

Sunday, September 09, 2012

News Round-Up

Former Bulls misfit Kern Miller is on the lookout for a new club after being released by Boston United. The 21 year old started their first six matches but was left out of yesterday's squad and released this morning so boss Jason Lee could free up funds to bolster his struggling side. The bidders for Darlington's old Arena home say they do not expect their attendances to increase from their current 200 in the stadium. Mowden Park want to profit from the ground through concerts and international rugby matches.

Portsmouth are claimed to be the subject of a third bid from an unnamed Middle Eastern consortium. The group is claimed to have lodged a $20million offer to buy the stadium and pay off creditors. The club's Administrator has set of deadline of Friday to get a suitable bid for the club. Westfields progressed to the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round yesterday with a 5-2 win at Norton. They earned £3,000 in prize money and could be handed a tie with a Conf North/South side in tomorrow's draw.

Wrexham boss Andy Morrell says he has not been able to play loan signing Andy Bishop as the Welsh FA is yet to give the player international clearance. The striker signed before the 11pm deadline at the end of the summer transfer window, but the Welsh FA had closed at 5pm and has, so far, failed to complete the paperwork.

Players Need To Prove Their Worth

Yesterday's 5-2 defeat at Ewen Fields was about as bad as it gets for the Bulls.

Ryan Bowman - probably Hereford's Man of the Match

With due respect to Hyde, Hereford United were second to virtually everything after the first fifteen minutes or so.

Hyde were given too much room all over the field, allowed to get forward often without a challenge, and generally bossed much of the game.

Yet they are a part-time club with probably the lowest player budget in the Conference.

And if it wasn't for the £100K or so per season they receive from Manchester City, who play some of their reserve games at the ground, it's questionable whether they could ever come near to balancing the books with attendances like yesterday which was only 688.

It's understood some of Hyde's players are on little more than apperance money plus out of pocket expenses.

Hereford manager Martin Foyle has a full time squad of players, some of whom could be earning five times more a week from football than their conterparts at Hyde.

Those same players will be at Dartford next Saturday. They need to prove their worth.

Foyle may make some changes for the game but with a small squad and at least three players doubtfull, he is limited as to what he can do without bringing someone in. That's if there is any money left in his budget.

Hopefully Marley Watkins will be back in the squad for the game. Otherwise Foyle can do little more than start players such as Simon Clist instead of Ashley Sammon for example.

Meanwhile before the start of yesterday's game James McQuilken was spotted talking to Director of Football Gary Peters presumably about a loan move away from Edgar Street

Saturday, September 08, 2012

How bad was that?

A promising start, failure to capitalise on the early advantage and some shocking teamwork left The Bulls deservedly on the end of a 5-2 beating at lowly Hyde this afternoon.

Martin Foyle named an unchanged starting line-up from the Woking game as The Bulls, again, had to manage without the threats of Marley Watkins and Marlon Jackson. The hosts got the first strike on goal but Hanford was comfortably down to collect. Smikle failed to move onto a through ball from Pell but when a similar move developed down the left, Clucas and Curruthers combined for the latter to whip in a cross that Ryan Bowman met with a glancing header for the opening goal on four minutes.

Sam Clucas

The shaken hosts, who had assembled the grand total of two points before today’s encounter, looked capable of collapse after the early reverse and for ten to fifteen minutes The Bulls continued to press. Clucas and Curruthers combined to produce a similar cross to the one that produced the opening goal but this time Canham’s header was well off target. Bowman made an energetic diagonal run but his searching cross was headed over by Clucas who also forced a fruitless corner following a darting run into the box.

Ashley Sammons

With twenty minutes gone and no addition to the score, Hyde began to realise that they could, perhaps, have some influence on result and gradually took control of the central area with some good, patient possession football. Former Everton man Scott Spencer and the aging Phil Jevons took turns to run the channels whilst alternating with dropping into midfield to provide a spare man.

With just short of thirty minutes on the clock, Spencer tested Hanford from 20 yards and The Bulls custodian did well to tip over the bar. Then a deep cross from the left was punched away by Hanford as The Tigers started to push The Bulls deeper and deeper towards their goal. The now familiar two banks of four became compressed and Hyde’s central division gleefully lapped up clearances without much attempt from The Bulls to press or close down. It was hardly surprising when Hyde equalised on thirty-nine minutes.

The ball was switched left to right before Spencer, who had peeled away from the centre, broke down the right before cutting in towards the box and firing across Hanford into the far corner of the net. The hosts might have taken the lead just before the break when Spencer, again, broke down the right but his driven cross was volleyed just over by the advancing Brizell.

HT Hyde 1 Bulls 1

The Bulls emerged unchanged for the second period both in personal and attitude. With little more than five minutes of the second period gone, Alex Brown was allowed to work his way across The Bull’s box unchallenged before firing low past Hanford into the corner of the net.

Brian Smikle

The goal briefly woke United from their apparent slumbers and Stam found Canham with a crossfield ball but the striker’s first touch was poor and he was easily dispossessed. Just ten minutes into the second half Canham was hauled off and replaced by Will Evans in, presumably, an attempt to wrestle control of the midfield from the now confident Hyde team. Evans’ early contribution was a long diagonal ball that found Smikle in plenty of space fifteen yards from goal but he shot weakly straight at the keeper. A slightly more promising move down the left involving a Curruthers overlap finished with Evans lifting his shot over the bar.

Ryan Bowman having treatment minutes before he scored his second goal

Spencer got free on the right and sent over a low cross that Jevons almost converted but an almost identical move a few minutes later did produce a goal for the former Yeovile player when Spencer’s cross was turned in from less than ten yards out.

A fine left-side cross from Sam Clucas was headed home by the enthusiastic Bowman to reduce the arrears but it only served to spur Jevons into completing his hat-trick with another brace in a four minute spell…both coming from less than ten yards and both when he got behind the defence to shoot home while unmarked.

Apart from, possibly, their second there was little that Hanford could do about any of the goals. We were soundly beaten in front of just 688 of which upwards of 200 were in the away end.

FT Hyde 5 Bulls 2

Bulls: Hanford, Gallinagh, Graham, Stam, Curruthers, Pell, Clucas, Sammons (Plummer 76), Smikle (Nicholls 67), Canham (Evans 55), Bowman. Unused subs Heath, Clist.

Hyde: Carnell, Brizell, Pearson, Ashworth, Lomax, Brown, Byrne (Moses 88), Cassidy, Crowther (Cox 22), Spencer, Jevens (Poole 85). Unused subs Frith, Williams.

The midfield dropped too close to the back four who were already too deep in the first place. Canham and Smikle were largely ineffective and when Pell went forward we were unprotected at the back and got exposed and punished by effectively the same move four times. Very few (possibly Clucas and Bowman IMO) came out of this with much credit and it sadly emphasises the lack of depth in the squad once Watkins and Jackson are out of the reckoning.

That said, Hyde looked like rabbits in the headlights for the opening ten/fifteen minutes and should have been put to the sword in the first half. One goal is not enough to defend.

MOVE ON.

Foyle's Reaction To Today's Defeat

Hereford United manager Martin Foyle spoke about Hyde being a potential banana skin in several of his pre-match interviews but it's highly unlikely he expected to be on the end of a 5-2 drumming by Hyde this afternoon.

"The mistakes have cost us big time today, so I have got no excuses," Foyle told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"I thought we looked like eleven individuals today.

"I thought we played well in the first twenty minutes, got the goal, should have gone for the juggular.

"But we didn't.

"We started coming off and playing slow again. Once you take that foot off that pedal you are going to get caught.

"We got caught, one ball straight down the side and a good finish but that shouldn't happen.

"And then, ten minutes into the second half, it's another poor goal.

"He got back Ashley Sammons on the edge of the box too easy.

"I hold my hands up high. Did I select the right side and did I select the right formation?

"I will certainly have a good look at myself, but I hope the players have a good look too.

"I thought we pulled out of a lot of tackles and challenges today.

"We looked quite weak."

Bowman scored both the Hereford goals.

"Ryan pleased for him, two good headers. That's done him the world of good."

Finally the injury situation.

"I'm hoping Marley will be back next week. Marlon may be, but definitely the week after."

Director of Football Gary Peters watched the game

Stats From Hyde

Here are all the main stats from a sunny and warm Ewen Fields where Hyde defeated Hereford United 5-2. Both the Bulls goals came from Ryan Bowman (5mins and 77mins)

Possession: Hyde 56% Bulls 44%

Shots on Target: Hyde 9 Bulls 5

Shots off Target: Hyde 5 Bulls 7

Corners: Hyde 3 Bulls 3

Fouls: Hyde 9 Bulls 9

Cards: The referee kept them all in his pocket.

Attendance: 688 with around 200 in the away end

Top of League Two:

1 Macclesfield	8	5	18
2 Forest Green	8	8	17
3 Wrexham	8	8	17
4 Newport	8	6	16
5 Luton	8	5	16
6 Gateshead	8	6	15
7 Grimsby	8	5	13
8 Hereford	8	0	13

Ex-Bull Watch

In League Two, Alan Connell scored for Bradford as they drew at Accrington. Keith Lowe put through his own net as Cheltenham drew at Wycombe.

In the Conference, Dean Beckwith gave away a penalty and Janos Kovacs was subbed off at half time as Luton lost at Alfreton. Nathan Elder scored as Ebbsfleet beat Mansfield.

In the Welsh Premier, Jason Price scored twice as Prestatyn put seven past Carmarthen.

Results Round-Up

The Bulls slip to eighth after today's results, but are still only five points short of top spot. Macclesfield are the new leaders after beating Braintree 2-1, a point ahead of Forest Green, who lost 1-0 at Grimsby, and Wrexham, who beat Cambridge 4-1. Newport are fourth after a 0-0 draw with Stockport, with Luton fifth after losing 3-0 at Alfreton. Gateshead are sixth after beating Dartford 2-0, with the Mariners seventh.

Down the bottom Kidderminster are back on the foot of the table and five points short of safety after a 2-2 home draw with Southport. Hyde move only to 23rd with their win, a point behind Lincoln after the Imps conceded a late goal at Telford to draw 1-1. Barrow won 3-1 at Tamworth to record only their second win of the season, while Ebbsfleet shocked Mansfield with a 3-1 win to move out of the bottom four. Woking beat Nuneaton 6-1 with Bradley Bubb scoring four.

Bulls Leathered By Hyde

The Bulls rolled over and let bottom of the table Hyde tickle their belly as they went down 5-2 at Ewen Fields in today's Conference game.

The Bulls scored after just four minutes, decided it was going to be too easy, and turned off. Hyde then proceeded to run through the Bulls midfield at will with a better work ethic. Only Ryan Bowman, who bagged two goals, will have any kind of happy memories from this match.

Full report later.

Nichols Extends Loan

Loan striker Tom Nichols has told his Twitter followers that he has extended his loan at Edgar Street into a second month.

The 19 year old was due to return to parent club Exeter following today's game but is now eligible for five more matches up to the game with Stockport on October 6th.

Zumba Party at Edgar Street Tomorrow

With the weather expected to be warm and sunny, the Mayor of Hereford's Zumba party at Edgar Street tomorrow is the place to be especially as it's all in aid of two local cancer charities.

Friday, September 07, 2012

Full Conference Programme This Afternoon

There is a full set of Conference games this afternoon, kicking off at 3pm.

Of the five teams currently above the Bulls, leaders Forest Green go to Grimsby in a tricky match while Luton travel to struggling Alfreton. Newport face Stockport with Macclesfield entertaining Braintree, while Wrexham face a tough match at Cambridge.

Commentaries on all 12 of the games can be heard on the BBC website here.

Full list:

AFC Telford V Lincoln City
Alfreton V Luton
Cambridge V Wrexham
Ebbsfleet V Mansfield
Gateshead Vs Dartford
Grimsby Vs Forest Green
Hyde Vs Hereford
Kidderminster Vs Southport
Macclesfield Vs Braintree
Newport Vs Stockport
Tamworth Vs Barrow
Woking V Nuneaton

Follow The Bulls This Afternoon

Not going to Hyde, but want to keep up with the Bulls this afternoon?

BBC Hereford and Worcester will have full commentary from Ewen Fields on 94.7FM around Herefordshire and also on-line.

Keith Hall will be behind the microphone for the station.

Bulls Player will also have coverage of the game.

More Talks Planned About Hereford Racecourse

A meeting between Herefordshire Council and the Arena Racing Company took place today and the main outcome is that the two parties have agreed to continue to discuss proposals to keep Hereford Racecourse in operation.

Council leader John Jarvis has offered Arena a new 125 year lease and the prospect of building a hotel on the site.

"I am pleased that our discussions will be continuing and the council remains comitted to the continuation of racing at Hereford," said Jarvis.

"I believe that all parties share in this objective."

Tony Kelly from Arena also commented after the meeting.

“We have had a positive meeting with Herefordshire Council, who have offered to explore a longer term lease

"We will work with the council throughout the remainder of 2012 and into next year to explore whether this is a viable option for the racecourse."

News Round-Up

Luton have signed Northampton striker Jake Robinson on an initial months loan. The 25 year old played for Hatters boss Paul Buckle on loan at Torquay, netting seven times in 22 games, before making the move to the Cobblers. The Hatters have also admitted their FA charge of failing to control their players after last weekend's match with Telford. They have been fined £500 and warned as to their future conduct.

Tamworth have signed Mansfield defender John Dempster on an initial months loan, and signed former Southend winger Jemal Johnson on non-contract terms. Dempster, 29, has played three times for the Stags this season after his summer move from Crawley. Johnson, 27, was sacked by Southend last December following a nightclub fracas and has been without a club since.

Gainsborough are reported to have signed striker Dominic Knowles, who played for the Bulls in Wednesday's reserve game as a trialist. Former Bulls loanee Karl Hawley has signed for Scunthorpe until January. The 30 year old has been without a club since being released by Notts County in the summer.

Lincoln boss David Holdsworth's injury problems have mounted with midfielder Alan Power ruled out for three months with an ankle injury picked up in Tuesday's loss to Alfreton.

Half Price Admission For Forces At Hyde

Bulls fans in the Armed Forces, and anyone with a Premier League or Championship season ticket can take advantage of a half-price entry offer at Hyde tomorrow.

Details are on the Hyde site here.

Foyle has watched Hyde

Hereford United manager Martin Foyle has done his homework by recently watching Hyde whom the Bulls play tomorrow.

"I am always wary of playing promoted teams before the 10-game mark as they are always on a high from promotion," said Foyle as reported by the Worcester News.

"I saw them against Luton and I thought they should have beaten them but Luton, like the other top sides, can bring people on to freshen it up.

"Hyde were very unlucky.

"It's a potential banana-skin but if we are right they will know they have been in a game."

Preview: Hyde vs Bulls

The Bulls travel to Ewen Fields for the first time to face Hyde in a Conference match on Saturday.

The two sides have met only once, in a FA Trophy match in 2005, when the Bulls beat their lower-graded opposition 3-0 thanks to goals from Tamika Mkandawire, Danny Carey-Bertram, and Rob Purdie. Today's Hyde will be virtually unrecognisable from that side, having dropped both the United from their name and swapping their club colours from red to blue after securing a substantial sponsorship deal with Manchester City to use their home as the Premier League club's reserve base.

Rookie Hyde boss Scott McNiven is still looking for his first win in charge of the Tigers, taking them into Saturday's game on the back of five straight defeats. The 33 year old took over after ex-Bull Gary Lowe quit the club over what he saw as an uncompetitive budget, and results so far have proven him right. Last season's top scorer Scott Spencer hit two goals on the opening day but hasn't scored since with the Tigers racking up only four goals from their seven matches.

Bulls boss Martin Foyle is expected not to risk forward pair Marlon Jackson and Marley Watkins with both back in training following injury. The duo have been sorely missed but Foyle is aware that rushing them back, especially against the bottom side in the league, may not be the wisest decision. Ryan Bowman made an early impression in his debut start for the Bulls on Tuesday, setting up Ashley Sammons' opener, and is likely to retain his spot.

Hyde vs Hereford United, Ewen Fields, Saturday 8th September, 3.00pm.

News Round-Up

Telford have signed veteran striker Darren Byfield on a deal until January. The 35 year old has played just two Conf North for Solihull games since leaving Walsall last summer, but was due to sign for Port Vale before their ongoing Administration scuppered the deal. The Bucks have also confirmed that former Bull Jordan Rose has signed a deal to the end of the season after originally agreeing non-contract terms.

Truro City's Administrator is to investigate the £2.28million sale of the club's ground two weeks ago to work out where the money went, with the remaining club directors unaware of the mechanics of the deal finalised by bankrupt former owner Kevin Heaney. Woking say midfielder Guiseppe Sole will not play again for at least a year after being diagnosed with a 'career threatening' knee injury.

Former Bulls loanee Byron Anthony turned out for Torquay's reserves on Tuesday as they played the Nike Academy, but his hopes of a contract were dashed with boss Martin Ling rejecting both him and fellow central defender Alex Evans. Stockport have handed non-contract keeper Lewis King a deal til January, and signed midfielder Alex Meaney from a local college.

Darlington's old Arena home is set to host some egg-chasing after local rugby side Mowden Park had a bid for the ground accepted. The 25,000 seat area will be a huge step-up for the second tier side that have gates of 200. Cambridge midfielder Harrison Dunk is expected to undergo surgery on a knee injury picked up in training. The 21 year old has missed the last two matches with the problem with the club awaiting confirmation from a scan before proceeding with surgery.

Barrow have loaned striker Obi Anoruo to Hinckley for a month. The former Wrexham man has made just two sub appearances since signing in the summer.

Trialists On Show In Bulls Reserve Loss

Bulls boss Martin Foyle put a number of trialists through their paces as the Bulls lost 2-0 to Port Vale in a friendly at Vale's training ground.

The game on Wednesday saw long-term injury victim Joe Heath get 75 minutes according to the official site, which named the full side to play in the game:

Dan Connor, Ben Hoskin, Alex Evans, Carl Piergianni, Joe Heath, Tristan Plummer, Will Evans, Christian Smith, James McQuilkin, Tom Nichols, Dominic Knowles. Sub - Liam Molesworth.

Piergianni was a regular with Stockport last season but rejected a new deal in the summer, while Evans started the season on non-contract terms at Oxford, making one sub appearance, before leaving last week. Hoskin is a former Burnley trainee who left non-contract terms at Barrow two weeks ago.

Smith, at 24 the oldest of the trialists, is a midfielder formerly of Port Vale and York who spent last season with Chester. Knowles is a 20 year old striker released by Burnley in the summer and was previously trialling with York. Molesworth is a young striker who has trialled for the likes of Inverness and Bournemouth.

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Foyle Considers Bringing In Defender

Hereford United manager Martin Foyle is considering bringing in a defender in advance of tomorrow's game at Hyde.

Michael Townsend who missed last Tuesday's game with a back problem remains on the side-lines so Foyle will stick with the partnership of captain Luke Graham and Stefan Stam in the heart of defence.

Foyle appears concerned that he is short of cover which implies Townsend could be missing for several games.

Meanwhile Marley Watkins will also miss the Hyde game with an ankle injury and Marlon Jackson is also unlikely to be match-fit.

Bulls 21/20 to win at Hyde

Hereford United travel to Hyde tomorrow for a Conference League game. It will be the first time the Bulls have played at the Ewens Field.

With Hyde currently bottom of the League, the Bulls are favourities to win the game but, as manager Martin Foyle said, that means nothing.

Top price for a Bulls' win is 21/20 with both William Hill and Coral. Top price for a draw is 19/7 with Pinnacle.

Latest odds from BlueSq:

Hyde 5/2 Draw 12/5 Hereford 1

I know the size of the job says Foyle

In his interview for the Conference podcast (see earlier article), Hereford United manager Martin Foyle spoke about the season to date and the difficult task of managing the Bulls with a reduced budget.

"There's been a big turnaround of players but the biggest problem was being relegated out of the football league," said Foyle.

"There was a lot of gloom and doom around the place and it was important we got players smiling again.

"Four wins out of seven, I don't think I can complain really.

"I know the size of the job, we've got massive cutbacks to make this year and the club is probably more important than the team at the moment.

"The club financially was in a perilous position and we've got to make sure the club survives this year and hopefully then next year we might be in a better position to have a go at it."

The Bulls travel to promoted Hyde on Saturday.

"I'm always wary of playing promoted teams in the first ten games of the season. They are still on a high, they're still trying things.

"Yes they are bottom of the league but that means nothing. I've had three reports on them - they play excellent football - and I don't expect anything other than a hard game."

So what about the season given clubs with bigger budgets?

"We've just got to try and stay in that top ten and try and keep on the coat-tails of the big boys and see where it takes us.

Russon Joins Robins Board

Tim Russon has been appointed as Commercial Director at Cheltenham Town, just days after disposing of his Bulls shareholding.

The appointment is reported by the Robins to be part of their moves to become 'self-sufficient' with Russon responsible for increasing commercial and media activities at Whaddon Road in what is understood to be a paid role.

Russon told their official site: “I am thrilled and honoured to be joining the team at Cheltenham Town. It’s a club I have always been close to and admired both on and off the pitch."

Foyle On The BlueSq Podcast

Bulls boss Martin Foyle is interviewed in this week's BlueSq football podcast.

The podcast can be downloaded from the BlueSq site here, with Foyle's interview starting around the 13 minute mark. Also interviewed are Cambridge's Jez George, Barrow's Dave Bayliss, and Dartford boss Tony Burman.

VP Club Newsletter

Here is the first of this season's Vice Presidents Club newsletters.

Click to Enlarge

Hyde Travel Update

Bulls News had been advised that Hereford fans will be welcome in the Hyde Supporters Club on Saturday before and after the game. Entrance is from outside the ground.

Also, a limited number of seats are available for the main stand on a first come first served basis.

Bulls Progress In FA Youth Cup

The Bulls have progressed in the FA Youth Cup, beating Hednesford Town 2-1 last night.

The official site reports that Joe Tumelty and Tom John scored for the Bulls to progress to a First Qualifying Round match away at Birmingham side Romulus.

A potential local derby at Edgar Street still awaits in the Second Qualifying Round after Pegasus Juniors beat Stone Dominoes 4-0 in their match last night. They now face Earlswood Town or Solihull Moors in the next round, with that pair playing tonight.

News Round-Up

Lincoln's chairman is to meet with a select group of fans amid growing unrest at Sincil Bank. Gates have plunged well below break-even levels after a dismal start, with manager David Holdsworth bemoaning that he is missing eight of his already light squad through injury. The local press reports that the Imps are losing £10,000 on each home match so far. Stockport have announced another match with heavily discounted admission, with their home game with Ebbsfleet at the end of the month now £5 for Adults and £1 for kids after two similar games last term.

Tamworth's hopes of signing veteran midfielder Stefan Oakes have been dashed as the former Leicester man does not want to commit to their training regime after starting up his own business. Kettering assistant boss Dean Greygoose confirmed last night that the club had not paid the playing staff their August wages. Owner Imraan Ladak is back in charge, but the volunteers that held the fort over the summer have quit their positions over recent weeks.

Grimsby striker Anthony Elding says he is disappointed not to have been given another chance at League football after Preston made a late bid for his services, but he remains committed to the Mariners. The 30 year old had hoped to be reunited with his former Stevenage manager Graham Westley.

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

So Now We Know

Wouldn't it be good to see this advert on a perimeter board at Edgar Street. (Situated at London Bridge Station)