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WALSALL (home) 18/11/06 Hereford’s winning run came to an end with a single goal defeat against league leaders Walsall. The Saddlers showed why they are up at the top, with an excellent defensive display keeping the home attack relatively subdued, giving them a platform to nick the only goal of the goal from a set piece. Unlike some teams that have visited Edgar Street this season, Walsall looked to pass the ball around rather than kick their way to victory. Defences were mostly on top in the first period, with few clear-cut chances. Goalkeeper Clayton Ince looked solid in the visitors’ goal, commanding his area well and taking several testing balls into the box. Ince’s fellow Trinidadian international, striker Hector Sam, had less success at the other end of the pitch. He failed to hit the target from close range in the first half and his poor touch often let him down, before he was eventually substituted. Dean Keates had the best chance of the half, when he blazed wide from just inside the area after getting onto the end of an inviting pass from Darren Wrack. At the other end, Ince did well to turn a cross over the bar with Tim Sills closing in, and was grateful to his defenders for bailing him out when Alan Connell beat him to a cross and headed goalwards; Scott Dann being the man to spare the goalkeeper’s blushes. A more open second half ensued, with Walsall looking livelier in attack having soaked up initial pressure from Hereford. It was the Bulls however that should have taken the lead through Sills shortly after the interval. The striker produced a powerful close-range header from Alex Jeannin’s excellent cross, only to be denied by a breathtaking full-length save from Ince. From the resulting corner, Tamika Mkandawire looped a header onto the crossbar, and although a goalkick was awarded it looked as though Ince had just touched the ball on its way onto the woodwork. Walsall’s top scorer Martin Butler struggled to make much of an impression, being well policed throughout by Dean Beckwith. The former Gillingham man produced a brilliant tackle when Butler was clean through, then blocked a close-range shot from the same player minutes later. Butler and his team-mates had the last laugh, for it was from the resulting corner that the deadlock was broken. The ball was not cleared far enough, and Keates played the ball back into the area for defender Chris Westwood to head home, to the delight of the travelling hordes from the West Midlands. Sills’ aerial prowess has keeping the Walsall back four busy, and his flicked header almost sent Andy Williams clear. The pair combined minutes later, but Williams again fluffed his chance, scraping wide from close range. Sills eventually had to leave the field of play after sustaining a nasty head injury, leaving United without the option of playing the ball long to a target man. Westwood nearly increased the lead, but directed a free header straight at Wayne Brown. The Hereford goalkeeper later made a good save from substitute Mark Wright, before spending much of the game’s closing moments in the opposing penalty area, as the Bulls launched an all-out attack at the visitors. Alas, nobody could provide a telling finishing touch, with headers from Connell and Mkandawire lacking the power to seriously test Ince, and a shot being deflected behind for a corner. Hereford will feel aggrieved at not getting something out of the game, given the problems they caused for Walsall throughout. The Saddlers defended diligently throughout however: their defence is yet to concede at home, having let in just eight goals in total, and it is evident that this is the prime reason for their success so far this season. For Hereford, there is no disgrace in losing to the league leaders, and the opportunity to get back to winning ways in League Two presents itself with a trip to second from bottom Boston next time out. Team: Brown, Purdie, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Gulliver, Jeannin, Eustace, Connell, Mackenzie, Sills (sub Sheldon), Williams. Subs not used: Thompson, Ferrell, Rose, Webb. Star man: Dean Beckwith
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