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GRAVESEND (home) 18/12/04 Hereford achieved their first double of the season with a hard-fought victory over Gravesend and Northfleet at Edgar Street. Jamie Pitman continued with his recent goalscoring streak, popping up with the only goal in the second half. The Bulls kept faith with the same XI that finished last week's match at Scarborough, with David Brown replacing Lee Mills in attack. This allowed Ryan Green and Andy Williams to make an appearance amongst the substitutes. Play was confined to midfield for much of the first half, with ten minutes passing before the first chance was created. Andy Drury, who proved a real handful throughout, got clear down the right, and his teasing low cross just missed the lunge of freakishly tall defender Chris Moore. Both sides from then on resorted to hoofing the ball up in the air, with very little football being played. This seemed to be a strange tactical decision from a Hereford perspective, as their players more often than not would lose the aerial challenge against a Fleet defender. Chris Moore did not appear to even have to jump to head the ball away, as he stood over six inches taller than David Brown. Recent signing Paul McCarthy was just as accomplished in the air, and at the other end Roy Essandoh, who famously scored Wycombe's winning goal at Leicester in the FA Cup a few seasons ago, won a lot of headers against Tony James. In fact it was Essandoh who came closest to opening the scoring, when his shot from the edge of the box clipped the edge of the post on its way out for a goalkick. Another effort from similar range by the same player went wide. Quite why Hereford persisted with aping Gravesend's tactics for so long is a mystery, as when they started passing the ball around they were able to get through the visiting defence. Mark Robinson's through ball released Brown, but visiting goalkeeper James Pullen was out swiftly to clear the danger. Minutes later, top scorer Adam Stansfield raced through, but sliced his shot into the side netting. Stansfield had another opportunity in injury time, when he backheeled Brown's cross-shot inches past the post. That was pretty much it for the first forty-five minutes, with the half time break enabling fans to relax their over-worked neck muscles, such was the amount of time the ball spent in the air. To their credit, Hereford's football was a lot better in the second half, although that is not exactly saying a great deal. However, it was Gravesend who came closest to opening the scoring at the start of the second period, when Drury broke clear and had his twenty-five yard effort tipped away from the top corner by a great save by Craig Mawson. Despite being more creative, the Bulls were still unable to find a way through the visitors' defence. In fact, the closest they came was from Jamie Pitman's attempted cross, which, when it did finally descend from the air, landed on top of the crossbar. Pullen was struggling to get to the ball, and if it had dropped slightly earlier the Gravesend keeper would not have been able to keep the ball out of the net. After an hour, Graham Turner made two substitutions. There were plenty of candidates that could have been taken off, so ineffective the Bulls had been, but as it was Turner elected to replace Brown with Danny Carey-Bertram, and Rob Purdie - who had been getting into the game more and more as time progressed - making way for Ryan Green. The move paid immediate dividends, as Carey-Bertram beat the offside trap to receive Green's long pass. The youngster raced forward, but saw his shot come back off the post via Pullen's leg. Carey-Bertram's pace from thereon in was a constant source of danger, and Green also provided stability down the flank. Interestingly, Green did not take up his usual place at right-back, with Simon Travis remaining there and Green staying in front of him. However, Travis now came into the game more and more, making more of the runs forward that have now become his trademark. Travis indeed went on to receive the sponsors' man of the match award. Green and Travis were both involved in the move that led to the game's only goal. Travis won the ball before passing to Green, who in turn sent Adam Stansfield away down the right. Stansfield's low cross was tucked away at the far post by Pitman, who had performed a lot better in the second period than he did in the first. Now came a sustained period of pressure on the Gravesend goal. Stansfield had two opportunities, one a header that went wide, and the other a low shot that struck a defender and crept literally inches wide. From a free-kick, Tamika Mkandawire sent a header into the arms of the grateful Pullen; in the first half, Mkandawire had looped another header over at a set piece. At the death, Carey-Bertram blasted a great opportunity into the car park. United were unable to take any of their chances, ensuring a nervy final ten minutes for their supporters: Essandoh's disallowed header being testament to this. Travis on more than one occasion had to get back and make some great last-ditch tackles. As it was, Hereford were able to hold on without Mawson being seriously tested, with his save from Drury at the start of the second period being the only shot he had to deal with. Hereford's defence has been looking a lot more solid recently, and this was only the second time this season they have kept successive clean sheets. Mark Robinson and Mkandawire in particular were very good. At the other end, the strikers have to take more of the chances that come their way. Adam Stansfield is a very good player, but seems to take too many chances to score one goal, as Andy Cole was once famously criticised for. Having said that, he has a great work-rate and creates a lot of openings for his colleagues. It was a deserved three points for the Bulls, but they were made to work hard for it. It was evidently going to take a lot of hard work to get past Gravesend's defence. Paul McCarthy was probably Fleet's best player, despite his show of unsportsmanship at the end by tearing a strip off Drury for playing the ball back to Mawson after the referee stopped the game when Tony James was injured clearing a corner. The victory takes Hereford up to third, now a mere fourteen points behind Barnet. They do have a game in hand howeverá Team and ratings: Mawson (7), Travis (7), Mkandawire (7), James (7), Robinson (7), Purdie (6) (sub Green (7)), Pitman (6), Hyde (6), Stanley (6), Brown (5) (sub Carey-Bertram (7)), Stansfield (6) Subs not used: Scott, Tretton, A. Williams.
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