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PETERBOROUGH (home) 05/12/06 Hereford drew a blank in front of goal for the second home league match in succession in a rare goalless encounter at Edgar Street. Visitors Peterborough United left with the point they had clearly set out to get, content to sit back and waste time, to the frustration of the disappointing crowd of 2,309. One point was one more than the Posh deserved, having been outplayed by the Bulls from start to finish, and were it not for some excellent goalkeeping from Mark Tyler they would have left empty-handed. Tyler was quickly forced in action, making a smart save from a Tim Sills effort after the striker had played a neat one-two with Stuart Fleetwood, who had made a surprise return to the team in place of Andy Williams. It was Fleetwood that was next to test the visiting goalkeeper when the ball broke to him on the edge of the area, but Tyler flung himself low to his left to turn the ball around the post. The style of play from both sides could not have been more different. Whilst Hereford passed the ball around effectively, the Posh were content to rely on a combination of long balls to the diminutive front pairing of Aaron McLean and Danny Crow, and the prodigiously long throws of Jude Stirling. It was Stirling’s Exocet-like throws that gave the Bulls the greatest headaches, and one of these generated enough confusion to allow Richard Butcher to have Peterborough’s first attempt at goal. Fortunately from a Hereford perspective he hammered over the bar. Full-back Dean Holden blasted well wide of goal from the edge of the box, and Butcher again missed the target, shooting just past Wayne Brown’s post. Hereford were more accurate with many of the technical aspects of play: whilst they made the opposing goalkeeper work to keep the ball out, Brown, as so often just recently, was largely untested throughout. Tyler was again made to work to keep out Fleetwood, although the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock was when a cross hit Guy Branston and - more by luck than judgement - the ball just about cleared the crossbar. Bizarrely, Peterborough - one of the highest scoring sides in League Two - persisted with their physical approach; on the few occasions Crow, McLean and pacy winger Adam Newton got the ball, the Posh looked dangerous. The constant diet of long balls and even longer throw-ins was bread and butter for the Hereford central defenders. Not even the introduction of the more muscular Trevor Benjamin could influence things, with Tamika Mkandawire and Phil Gulliver not giving the front two an inch of room all evening. More chances came and went as Hereford were frustrated in their efforts to break down an increasingly panicky defence. Rob Purdie’s crosses and intelligent passes from the right were a constant threat, and from one of these Andy Williams almost scored with his first touch after replacing Fleetwood, only to see his shot blocked by Mark Arber. Sills was just unable to steer the loose ball into the net, heading into the side netting from a very tight angle. Another substitute, Luke Webb, came close to adding to the two spectacular goals he has already netted this season, only to see his fierce shot fly narrowly wide. A later chance was at least on target, but Tyler was able to turn the ball over the bar with few problems. The visiting goalkeeper saved his best until last however, diving full length to keep out a goalbound header from Dean Beckwith. Despite four minutes of added time - which arguably was not enough, given the amount of time wasted by the visitors - Hereford were unable to break Peterborough down and had to settle for just a draw. Nevertheless there were plenty of positives to take from the game, as United played even better than they had done in putting four past Port Vale. Neil Mackenzie and John Eustace completely bossed the midfield, ably assisted by good displays from wing-backs Purdie and Alex Jeannin. A defence on top form never looked like being breached as Posh created nothing in attack. Peterborough will undoubtedly be happier with a point than the Bulls, but had their goalkeeper not been in such inspired form they may well have come away on the end of a severe beating. Team: Brown, Purdie, Mkandawire, Gulliver, Beckwith, Jeannin, Eustace, Connell (sub Webb), Mackenzie, Fleetwood (sub Williams), Sills. Subs not used: Thompson, Travis, Ferrell. Star man: Neil Mackenzie
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