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SWINDON (away) 04/11/06 Hereford launched a smash-and-grab raid at the County Ground, with Andy Williams’ brace of goals giving the Bulls a victory that they barely deserved. True, the Hereford defence held firm under considerable pressure from the home attack. That was just as well. A less profligate attack would have made sure the game was over by the break. As it was, the sides were level at half-time, Williams equalising for United minutes after they fell behind to a Christian Roberts header. The ten minutes after the Hereford equaliser was the only period of the game in which the Bulls were truly on top. Up until that point it had almost been one-way traffic, with Swindon’s experienced striker Lee Peacock keeping the visiting defence on their toes throughout. Peacock was especially commanding in the air, nodding straight at Wayne Brown after a fine header across goal from Andy Nicholas before seeing a similar, more telling, effort cleared off the line by John Eustace. Swindon forced a succession of corners, one of which saw Brown gather a fifteen-yard overhead kick by Jerel Ifil. Hereford barely got out of their half, with home goalkeeper Andy Lonergan’s only task being to claim well under pressure from a wide free-kick. Under such pressure, it was no surprise that the Robins took the lead. Referee Russell allowed play to continue after a foul on Neil Mackenzie, with the ball falling kindly to Michael Pook. His excellent cross was neatly tucked away by former Hereford loanee Roberts, although Brown almost managed to keep it out, getting a hand to it. The last time the sides met, two divisions separated them in an FA Cup second round clash. On that occasion, Swindon took the lead only to be pegged back shortly afterwards. In a case of history repeating itself, Hereford equalised minutes later with a classic counter attack. Stuart Fleetwood broke clear of the Swindon back line from Alex Jeannin’s finely-weighted pass, before his cross was thundered home on the volley by Williams. Their confidence restored, Hereford went at Swindon more convincingly in the final ten minutes of the half than they had done at any prior point in the match. Eustace played a neat one-two with Alan Connell before having his fierce shot parried by Lonergan, and United could have gone in at the break ahead had Tamika Mkandawire not produced a glaring miss, heading wide from a corner. With self-belief and optimism raised amongst the Hereford players, the opposite can be said of the Swindon team. So assured with their passing in the first period, danger men such as Aaron Brown and Ricky Shakes faded from prominence. Nevertheless, the Robins continued to carve out – and miss – a hatful of chances. Brown was never seriously troubled, comfortably gathering three shots that were aimed straight at him, and when he was beaten by Peacock’s header, Rob Purdie was on hand to head the ball off the line. Brown needed to stretch and save a low shot from Pook, but a deflection had already taken the sting out of it. Aaron Brown missed a glorious late chance, stealing ahead of his namesake Wayne in the Hereford goal to jab the ball towards goal, but Mkandawire recovered to make an incredible block to deny an almost certain goal. Numerous other chances went begging before Hereford scored with virtually their only attempt of the second half. Mackenzie lofted the ball out to the left flank towards the waiting Williams, who beat a lumbering Jack Smith to the ball. Having got clear of the last defender, the young striker raced into the box to roll the ball beyond the advancing Lonergan to somehow give Hereford the lead. The Bulls held out for the rest of the game, including a baffling four minutes of injury time. A Paul Evans free-kick, that curled just wide, was the extent of the Swindon comeback. In the build-up to this game, Swindon’s caretaker manager Ade Williams had commented that Hereford would be treating this game “as if it was their cup final”. Whilst the Bulls won’t receive a trophy for their efforts today, supporters will care more about the three points garnered from a game that could quite easily have gone the other way. Team: Brown, Purdie, Mkandawire, Gulliver, Beckwith, Jeannin, Eustace, Mackenzie, Connell, Fleetwood (sub Sills), Williams. Subs not used: Thompson, Rose, Ferrell, Webb. Star man: Tamika Mkandawire
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