Bulls hit seventh heaven
Hereford United silenced their critics by hammering Halifax Town 7-1 at Edgar Street tonight.
The goals came from Ben Smith (2), Steve Guinan (3), Rob Purdie and David Brown, while Lewis Killeen put the Shaymen ahead after two minutes.
With Chester City drawing 3-3 at the Deva Stadium against Accrington Stanley, and Barnet drawing 2-2 at Scarborough, the Cestrians remain top but Hereford are now just a points behind. They go up to second, two points ahead of fourth-placed Exeter City, who won 3-2 at Shrewsbury Town.
Aldershot vs Stevenage Borough was called off, as was Farnborough Town vs Margate.
Seventh
heaven for resurgent Hereford
Hereford
United 7 - 1 Halifax Town
The turn-around
following Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Shrewsbury Town could not have
been more convincing, as Hereford United came from behind to
sweep aside mid-table Halifax Town at Edgar Street tonight.
A staggering statistic of seven goals from ten on-target shots
reveal how Graham Turner's men found their form in front of the
lowest league crowd at Edgar Street this season, and a result
like this will have the fans flocking back for Saturday's match
against Farnborough.
The 7-1 scoreline
is United's biggest league win since World War II, and their
biggest win in any competitive game since 25th October 1989, when
they beat Connah's Quay Nomads 9-0 in the Welsh Cup third round
at Edgar Street.
Halifax took an early lead, scoring after just two minutes. Craig
Midgley crossed from the right, and Lewis Killeen found the
United defence sleeping as he volley home into the bottom corner.
But it will be a long trip home for the forty-seven away
supporters after they collapsed under the pressure of a revived
Hereford.
Within eight minutes, though, Hereford had levelled. Rob Purdie
picked up the ball in midfield, feeding the lively looking Paul
Parry on the left channel, and his cross found Ben Smith in
space, who equalised with ease.
The Bulls continued to create chances, with a Danny Williams'
throw-in finding Parry just before the half-hour, but the United
winger couldn't beat goalkeeper Mark Cartwright, while Adam
Yates' attempted shot at Matt Baker at the other end went well
over the crossbar.
United continued to dominate and deservedly went into the lead on
thirty-three minutes. Ben Smith struck after a Danny Williams
corner to net his tenth league goal of the season. The corner was
brought outside the box, and Parry crossed for Williams to
strike. His first shot was blocked, but Smith capitalised to fire
home from the edge of the box.
After the break, Halifax came out brightly and Christian Lee
fired at Matt Baker after just three minutes. Soon afterwards,
though, Graham Turner's men extended their advantage. Steve
Guinan netted his first on fifty-two minutes, and within three
minutes he had scored again, taking his league total for the
season to thirteen. The first goal for the ex-Shrewsbury striker
saw him link onto a cut-back ball from Smith to smash home. Then,
Smith played the ball off his heel for Guinan to hit it into the
bottom corner to double his personal tally.
Halifax still battled on. Steve Bushell fired wide on the hour
mark as Chris Wilder made a couple of changes in the hope of
reviving his side. However, Danny Williams' shot twenty minutes
from time forced Mark Cartwright into saving with his legs. A
minute later, though, Cartwright could do nothing as Guinan
netted his hatrick, making it 5-1 to the Bulls. A move from a
dead-ball saw Williams dance around a defender, and Guinan beat a
man from a yard out at the back post.
Within another sixty seconds, Rob Purdie had made it 6-1 with his
first goal since August. Steve Guinan's header found Purdie
midway through the half, and he charged forward to add the low
drive from just outside the box.
It wasn't all over, though, as United made it seven through
substitute David Brown. The former Telford man spotted the
goalkeeper off his line from the right channel, and he chipped
Cartwright and the ball bounced in off the underside of the
crossbar.
Baker, though, had to do well in added time to stop a thirty-yard
Ryan Mallon drive, but United won convincingly. They played
splendid passing football, which has been sadly lacking in their
last few matches, and look a resurgent side after the setbacks of
recent weeks.
Written by Brian
Goodwin - 25th November 2003.
Hereford
United |
Halifax
Town |
Matt Baker |
Mark Cartwright |
Ryan Green |
Adam Yates |
Michael Rose |
James Dudgeon (off, 58 minutes) |
Jamie Pitman |
Jamie McCombe |
Tamika Mkandawire (off, 82 minutes) |
Kevin Sandwith |
Tony James (captain) |
Ryan Mallon |
Danny Williams (off, 76 minutes) |
Danny Hudson |
Ben Smith |
Steve Bushell |
Steve Guinan |
Craig Midgley |
Rob Purdie |
Christian Lee (off, 58 minutes) |
Paul Parry (off, 76 minutes) |
Lewis Killeen (off, 66 minutes) |
Subs |
Subs |
David Brown (on, 76 minutes) |
Darren Hockenhull |
Ben Scott |
Mark Monington (on, 58 minutes) |
Daniel Carey-Bertram |
Michael Senior |
Richard Teesdale (on, 82 minutes) |
Jake Sagare (on, 66 minutes) |
Dean Craven (on, 76 minutes) |
Andy Farrell (on, 58 minutes) |
Yellow cards |
Yellow cards |
Michael Rose (unsporting behaviour, 84
minutes) |
Danny Hudson (unsporting behaviour, 70
minutes) |
Red cards |
Red cards |
- |
- |
Scorers |
Scorers |
Ben Smith (10, 33 minutes) |
Lewis Killeen (2 minutes) |
Steve Guinan (52, 55,
70 minutes) |
- |
Rob Purdie (71 minutes) |
- |
David Brown (80
minutes) |
- |
- |
- |
Man of the Match |
Ben Smith |
Attendance |
1,875 |
Referee |
Mr. R. East (Wilton, Wiltshire) |