| home | bolsa | hufc | memories | exploits | resources |
MILTON KEYNES (away) 21/10/06 Hereford halted their run of poor away results with a 3-1 victory over MK Dons, in arguably their best performance in the league all season. Bulls fans have become frustrated at their side’s inability to play consistently well, with the performance in the League Cup tie against Coventry being seen as the benchmark. Having gone in at half-time 2-0 up, United, as expected, received a second-half battering from a team desperate to get back on level terms. This time however, they held firm, recording their first away win since the opening day of the season. A bright start saw the visitors take the lead inside five minutes. John Eustace – whose range of passing again caught the eye and was instrumental in Hereford’s success – played in Stuart Fleetwood with a well-timed pass and the striker saw his effort fumbled by goalkeeper Adolfo Baines. Alan Connell came charging into the area to smash the rebound past the helpless goalkeeper for his fourth goal of the season. Dons striker Izale McLeod was this week the subject of a one million pound bid from League Two rivals Peterborough, but on this evidence he is not worth that transfer fee. Superbly shackled throughout by Bulls skipper Tamika Mkandawire, he rarely managed a sniff at goal and on other occasions his elephantine first touch let him down. The only effort of note from McLeod in the first half saw his tame shot easily saved by Wayne Brown. Trent McClenahan was forced to withdraw from the action early on through injury, but this proved a blessing in disguise as his replacement, Rob Purdie, was soon needed on account of his prowess from the penalty spot. Williams’ run into the area was halted by a clumsy rather than malicious challenge from the increasingly erratic Baines, and referee Darren Deadman had no hesitation in awarding the penalty. Baines correctly guessed which way Purdie would place his kick but he was unable to keep it out, as the former Leicester player converted his seventh spot-kick of the season. Although United did not make an abundance of chances, they controlled the first half and forced Dons manager Martin Allen to make a tactical substitution with less than half an hour played, bringing on an additional striker in the form of Clive Platt. Baines fumbled a pass and presented a gilt-edged chance to Stuart Fleetwood, but striker shot into the side netting when he probably should have scored. Wayne Brown was untroubled in the Hereford goal, with all of the Dons’ efforts sailing well wide. Jon Paul McGovern in particular was having trouble shooting accurately, missing the target no fewer than four times. The half ended with McLeod being put clean through with just Brown to beat, but the striker slipped onto his backside and had to watch the ball roll out of play. Another cause for concern amongst United fans this season has been their side’s inability to play consistently well for a full ninety minutes; indeed, after the midweek Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat to Shrewsbury Town, Andy Ferrell was moved to say that Hereford are a “one-half team” at the moment. Fears of another second-half collapse arose when the Dons pulled a goal back ten minutes into the second half, following a double substitution from Allen. McLeod finally made a positive contribution to proceedings, calmly stroking home a cross from Lloyd Dyer. Whilst it was now the home side making more chances, the Hereford defence – in which the back three of Mkandawire, Dean Beckwith and particularly Phil Gulliver were all outstanding – held firm. Brown stopped a shot from Scott Taylor then flicked the ball out of play with his leg with an attacker closing in, and also made a fantastic save from a fiercely-hit set piece by Keith Andrews. That was about all Brown had to do, with defenders constantly getting in the way to block anything the Dons could throw at them. Purdie headed off the line from Taylor, and Drissa Diallo had a shot blocked by Beckwith. Hereford attacks were not as numerous, with the front two of Williams and Fleetwood being undone by a series of close – but nevertheless contentious – offside calls. Williams had a shot easily saved by Baines, and Alex Jeannin – generally solid on his return to the side – scuffed his shot wide after a Fleetwood cross. With the Dons looking ever more likely to force an equaliser, Hereford made the game safe with a breakaway goal in injury time. Again Eustace was the architect, threading a pass through for Fleetwood, who easily beat Baines from fifteen yards for his first goal since his hat-trick in that Coventry cup tie. Team: Brown, McClenahan (sub Purdie), Mkandawire, Gulliver, Beckwith, Jeannin, Rose, Connell, Eustace, Williams, Fleetwood. Subs not used: Thompson, Ferrell, Wallis, Webb. Star man: Phil Gulliver |
managed and maintained by hereford web design