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STEVENAGE (home) 28/08/04 Hereford's unbeaten start to the season came to an end after a late goal by Michael Brough won the game for Stevenage. In truth it was a terrible game which neither side looked likely to win, with attempts on goal being something of a rarity. With Simon Travis unavailable, Ryan Green returned at right wing-back after a spell out through injury. Ten minutes in, Danny Williams was forced froam the field with a very nasty head injury sustained in a clash with Jason Goodliffe. The midfielder was on the floor for a long time, and was eventually to have eight stitches inserted into his wound. It was not the last hefty challenge from a very physical Stevenage side, who had six players booked by the end of the game. The only major surprise was that nobody received a second one. Dannie Bulman was the first man to have an attempt at goal, but his header from close range easily cleared the crossbar. Jonathan Gould in the home goal did not have a great deal to do, but then again neither did his opposite number Andy Woodman. Woodman was the busier goalkeeper, saving a shot from Green but being unable to hold onto it, leading to a great scramble in the box. In the second half, Woodman spilt another effort from David Brown, before the ball was eventually hacked to safety - but not before a few heart-in-mouth moments in the Stevenage defence. The second half followed much the same pattern, with the outstanding players on view being the defenders from both sides. Neither attack was given much of a chance to shine, although from a rare opportunity Stevenage striker Dino Maamria put a shot from twelve yards out for a throw. Ritchie Hanlon enjoyed a good game for Boro, and Gould had to react well to save his long-range effort low to his right. Four minutes into injury time - and where those four minutes came from is something of a mystery - Hanlon played the ball to Brough, who unleashed a powerful drive from the edge of the box beyond the diving Gould. In truth, Hereford were poor and certainly did not deserve to beat a well-organised, if somewhat overly-physical at times, Stevenage side. However, to concede a goal so late on was very harsh, as Boro had not created much in attack either. 0-0 would have been the right result, which says everything about this match. Team and ratings: Gould (7), Green (6), Robinson (6), Mkandawire (7.5), James (7), Tretton (7), Pitman (5) (sub Hyde (4)), Williams (4) (sub Purdie (6), Stanley (6), Brown (6), Stansfield (5) (sub Mills (3)). Subs not used: Scott, Smith.
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