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ALDERSHOT (home) 25/08/03 An excellent comeback saw Hereford return to the top of the Conference in a thrilling match with Aldershot Town. This was a game that really did have everything: seven goals, a sending-off, a twice-taken penalty and, quite frankly, some awful refereeing. For the fifth match in a row, Hereford's starting XI was unchanged. Jordan King replaced the injured Danny Carey-Bertram on the bench, but he did not make an appearance. Aldershot's side contained some familiar faces, with Lee Charles, Ray Warburton and the universally-popular Nick Roddis - who have all appeared at Edgar Street for various teams in the past - making the starting line-up. Both teams traded a few half chances, but the visitors took a two-goal lead within ten minutes. After five minutes, captain Tony James headed the ball into his own net under pressure from Tim Sills. Goalkeeper Matt Baker had started to come for it, but then appeared to change his mind, and James had no choice but to try and put the ball behind for a corner. Worse was to come a few minutes later when Aaron McLean played an excellent through-ball for Sills to run on to. The striker appeared to be offside when he collected the ball, but he continued his forward run, rounded Baker and then slotted the ball into the empty net. Aldershot then started to take control, and Baker made a fine save to deny the lively Roscoe D'Sane. Andy Tretton also did well to block a dangerous shot from McLean. After twenty-five minutes, Hereford managed to get themselves back into the match. Rob Purdie was fouled near the edge of the penalty area by Roddis; his foul was worse than some of those preceding it, but, unlike Tretton, Rose and James, he was not booked. Danny Williams however punished his foul with an excellent free-kick that curled into the top corner; his first goal of the season, and one that David Beckham himself would have been proud of. Visiting goalkeeper Nicky Bull did not move. Hereford started to get back into the game, but could still only carve out half chances. Indeed, with half an hour played, Williams' free-kick was the only shot Hereford had had on target. Bull did well to claim a number of crosses, especially one where he took the ball from off the head of Ben Smith. Danny Williams came close to another goal, when he headed over from close range. In first-half stoppage time, the Bulls pulled level. Again the move started after a Roddis foul on the left flank. Parry's ball in was initially cleared, but it was played back to Michael Rose. The full-back controlled the ball, took it around Dominic Sterling and then unleashed a powerful shot that flew into the back of the net. It got even better just minutes after the restart. Danny Williams played a superb ball into the area for Ben Smith, who was brought crashing to the floor by substitute goalkeeper Richard Barnard. A penalty was conceded, but the keeper was a little lucky to escape with only a yellow card. Tony James - who scored from the spot at Barnet on Saturday - stepped up, but his weak effort was saved by Barnard. The referee however ordered a retake, much to the annoyance of the Aldershot side, who had D'Sane booked for his protestations. James decided to take the second attempt, and this time he made no mistake, thumping the ball straight down the middle. The Bulls came close to increasing the lead, with Steve Guinan glancing a header wide from a Parry cross. Danny Williams, who was enjoying an excellent game in midfield, had an effort that just flew wide, and numerous other chances went begging. Hereford were left to curse these missed chances, as Aldershot came back and equalised. D'Sane was again involved, sprinting past a challenge before releasing McLean. He then turned past Ryan Green, before firing a shot across Baker and in off the far post for another excellent goal. D'Sane had two more efforts that both went wide, and Jon Challinor came close with a header. With ten minutes remaining, Aldershot were reduced to ten men when D'Sane was given a second yellow card for a two-footed challenge on Williams. The tackle was not malicious - he did get the ball and not the player - but, having already been booked, he could have little complaint about being sent off. In fact, it was Hereford who looked more likely to have a man sent off, with several players receiving cautions in a match that saw few bad challenges and some poor decisions by the referee. In the final ten minutes, it was anyone's game. Both sides continued to look threatening and came close on a few occasions. Two minutes into injury time, Hereford had a counter attack, but when Michael Rose lofted the ball over the bar and out the ground with colleagues better placed, the chance of a winning goal appeared to have gone. However, two minutes later, the Bulls won another corner. Williams took it, and picked out substitute David Brown. He controlled the ball then, before it touched the ground, lashed a volley into the roof of the net to win the game - his first goal for the club. Hereford were made to work very hard for the win by a dangerous Aldershot side. In Roscoe D'Sane and Aaron McLean they had the two best attackers on the pitch, and there was plenty of 'bite' to the midfield. They were certainly the best side Hereford have come up against so far this season. Both teams looked to attack at every opportunity, and an excellent match resulted. Paul Parry had his best game of the season so far, with some good attacking runs. Ben Smith continued his own personal good form, but man-of-the-match for me was Danny Williams. Hopefully some of the 4,985 people who attended will come more often after seeing such a wonderful game of football. Just a shame that the refereeing was not so wonderful. Team and ratings: Baker (7), Green (7), James (8), Tretton (7), Rose (6), Williams (8), Smith (8), Pitman (7), Parry (8), Purdie (7), Guinan (6) (sub Brown (7)). Subs not used: Teesdale, King, Scott, Craven.
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