Monday, January 2, 2006

Hereford United ended their festive period with five points from three matches after Guy Madjo's second-half equaliser earned visiting Forest Green Rovers a deserved point at Edgar Street yesterday.

The Bulls had much the better of the first period and should perhaps have led by more than striker Adam Stansfield's 27th-minute opener.

But the visitors, who have now picked up eight points from their last 12, rallied strongly in the second-half and the dangerous Madjo levelled the scores with his fourth goal in a week.

Hereford dominated the first 15 minutes, forcing five corners during that strong spell.

But despite their pressure, the Bulls were unable to force their way through and the visitors, who looked lively in attack, had the first real shot.

A swift break-out following Hereford's fifth corner found Ben Harding who drove the ball narrowly wide from 25 yards.

The same player tried his luck again from 25 yards a few minutes later but again found his effort drifting off target.

Hereford's early pressure eventually gained its reward on 27 minutes.

Jamie Pitman was fouled on the edge of the area and the midfielder squared a free-kick to Alex Jeannin.

The Frenchman had a little work to do to open up a shooting chance but did so skilfully, only to see goalkeeper Ryan Clarke parry his effort.

But Stansfield was waiting to crack home his fourth goal in six matches from the rebound.

Six minutes before the break, Hereford almost extended their lead in rather bizarre circumstances.

Clarke came racing out of his goal to head an Andy Williams through-pass clear but only found Stanley 45 yards out.

The midfielder punted a shot forward but the ball drifted a yard wide of an upright. Clarke then saved well, tipping over when Matt Gadsby had deflected a Williams cross towards the top corner of the net.

Madjo and Julian Alsop kept the Hereford central defensive pairing of Dean Beckwith and Tamika Mkandawire at full stretch and this pattern continued after the break.

Madjo might have done better when he headed Harding's free-kick straight at Wayne Brown five minutes after the restart but made amends on 57 minutes.

The striker, on loan from Bristol City, controlled Damon Searle's pass and turned neatly to drive his shot under Brown and into the net.

Hereford struggled to regain their momentum after this, despite boss Graham Turner throwing all of his three substitutes, Jon Brady, Ryan Green and Danny Carey-Bertram, into the fray on 66 minutes.

Two long-range efforts each from Rob Purdie and Carey-Bertram were the best that Hereford could muster as time dribbled away.

"We knew that little attention could be paid to Forest Green's league position as they are on a good run at the moment," said Turner.

"But we just failed to produce that little bit of quality when it mattered."

HEREFORD: Brown, Travis, Mkandaire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Williams (Carey-Bertram 66), Pitman (Green 66), Stanley, Purdie, Stansfield (Brady 66), Ipoua. Subs not used: Mawson, Evans.

ATTENDANCE: 3,507.