Bulls too good for Wood

Joel Edwards Captained Hereford FC

Hereford FC recorded their biggest victory of the Midland Premier League season with a 6-0 win at Walsall Wood. John Mills and Adam Page handed the Bulls a half-time lead, before Hereford ran riot in the second-half, adding four further goals, with Mills completing his hattrick, alongside a goal from Dylan Bonella and an own goal by Walsall 'keeper Lee Evans.

After the success at Boldmere on Saturday, Peter Beadle named an unchanged eleven to begin the match on a cold September evening. 

Sol Wheatley warmed the hands of Evans with a 25 yard shot whilst Walsall Wood probed early on, with a 25 yard crispy half-volley well blocked by the Hereford defence. The best opportunity in the opening exchanges fell to Pablo Haysham; a long boot forward was headed away from danger by the home 'keeper with Haysham caressing a right-foot shot back goalwards. Evans was in no man's land but the ball cleared the bar from 30 yards.

Hereford took the lead with ten minutes remaining of the first-half, and it was the usual suspect who grabbed it. Superb build up allowed Haysham and Wheatley to link up, and the former played in top goalscorer Mills, who slotted home with excellence accuracy in the far corner. 

John Mills Opened The Scoring For Hereford

The home team reacted well to going a goal down and their number 10 did well to get past Nathan Summers, and hit a powerful 30 yard strike towards goal which Harvey Rivers did well to tip over the bar. Yet, it was the visitors who would have the final say in the first-half as they added a second. Joel Edwards showed pace and power to get past two players on the left-wing, crossing to the back-post and under pressure, Evans dropped the ball at the feet of Page, who hooked home with his left-foot from close-range.

Keeper Evans Collects Then Drops The Ball Close To Adam Page

Beadle was forced into an early second-half change as Wheatley knocked his lower back, and Max Kontic-Coveney replaced him on right-wing. Hereford should have been three goals in front as Mills squandered two good chances in the space of a minute. Firstly, Haysham broke from the middle of the park and fed in Mills, who after cutting back inside his man, toe-poked just past the post. Moments later, Mills again got in an excellent position after reacting quickest to a loose ball but a right-foot placed strike went past the 'keeper's post.

It didn't take long for Mills to grab his second though, as Haysham fed Page on the left-hand side of the box; the Cheltenham loanee struck goalwards but a block took it into the path of Mills, who turned his marker inside man and placed the ball into the corner to make it 3-0.

Mills About To Score Hereford's Third

Soon after Bonella added a fourth for Hereford. Kontic-Coveney played the ball to Adam Birch, who in turn found Bonella, and after setting himself with one touch on the edge of the box, he unleashed a fierce left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

Dylan Bonella With Joel Edwards (Left) And John Mills (Right)

Hereford were playing with freedom, and looked threatening everytime they went forward. Haysham hit a 30 yard effort over the bar, before he would have had a tap in, but Mills took one touch too many inside the box and failed to find the cutting pass. Instead, it was a more familiar site with Haysham the creator and Mills the goalscorer, as Hereford made it five. Haysham spun his man impressively and headed towards goal, and the ball eventually broke to Mills; Hereford's leading marksman smashed a crisp right-foot shot into the back of the net. 

With three minutes of normal time remaining, the Bulls added a sixth. A corner from the left wasn't fully cleared and Birch struck sweetly from 20 yards with the ball hitting the post but rebounding off Evans's back, and into his own net.

Keeper Lee Evans Can't Keep The Ball From Going Into The Net

This was up there with the best performances of the season. Walsall Wood started the game well and looked a threat early on, but once Hereford had opened the scoring, they grew in confidence and starting working the ball well. There were some strong performances across the pitch; Jamie Willets again read everything well, and was strong in the air and in the tackle, as is becoming the norm since his arrival. Bonella in the middle showed some class touches, and took his goal superbly, whilst Mills up front oozes quality in front of goal and thoroughly deserved his hattrick, although he could have perhaps had five, squandering some other good opportunities.

Next up for Hereford is the FA Vase trip to Bardon Hill on Saturday.

Hereford: Rivers, Green, Summers, Willets, Edwards, Wheatley (Kontic-Coveney), Bonella, Birch, Page (Miller), Haysham, Mills.

Subs not used: Hughes, Grant, Oates.

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