Saturday, May 20, 2006

Hereford'S nine-year exile from the Football League is finally over after a thrilling win in the Nationwide Conference play-off final at Leicester City's Walkers Stadium.

Around 10,000 Bulls fans cheered themselves hoarse after United twice fell behind to come back and win with goals from Andy Williams, Guy Ipoua and Ryan Green.

Hereford grew in stature after a shaky opening as Graham Turner inspired his side to the success they have deserved after three consecutive Conference runners-up finishes.

The Bulls found it hard to make an early impression as Halifax made much of the early running.

But the Shaymen's opening goal on 27 minutes was, nonetheless, a real stunner.

Rob Purdie was temporarily forced to leave the field with a facial injury and Halifax were able to profit from his absence.

A feature of the young midfielder's play this season has been his ability and willingness to cover for full-back Alex Jeannin.

And when the Frenchman lost the ball there was no-one in reserve to close down Lewis Killeen who let fly with an unstoppable shot from more than 20 yards.

But Hereford have discovered a resilience and never-say-die spirit this season, which has set this side apart from some of their predecessors, and they were back on level terms seven minutes later.

Tamika Mkandawire, again an imposing figure in defence, strode forward before releasing Adam Stansfield on the right.

The former Yeovil man made good ground before delivering a cross to the far post where Williams threw himself at the ball to bullet a header past Jon Kennedy.

Kennedy did well to claw away a Purdie header from Simon Travis' cross as Hereford stepped up a gear in the lead-up to the interval and the Bulls' dominance continued after the break.

Appeals for a penalty were waved away when the outstanding Tyrone Thompson dragged down Purdie.

And Stansfield might have done better than allow Kennedy to block a shot with his legs after the Hereford forward had wriggled his way through.

But a couple of substitutions paid off for Halifax as the Shaymen took the lead again on 72 minutes.

One of the replacements, former Bulls striker John Grant, managed to get on the end of a cross from the lively Killeen and his touch was just enough to defeat Wayne Brown in the Hereford goal.

But Hereford's own substitute Ipoua soon had the Bulls level again.

The Cameroonian worked the ball to Travis on the right and then moved inside to power a header past Kennedy from the midfielder's cross.

The first-half of extra-time came and went and then, in the third minute of the second period, the goal arrived which sent the Hereford fans wild.

After a run by Stuart Fleetwood, the ball broke to Green on the edge of the area and the full-back curled a superb left-foot shot past Kennedy's flailing arms.

A brilliant save by Brown at the feet of Senior preserved the Hereford lead but left the goalkeeper out cold.

He recovered after a long period of treatment but the six resulting minutes of added time seemed to be interminable before referee Dean Whitestone blew his whistle to signal Hereford's return to football's higher echelons.

HEREFORD: Brown, Green, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Travis, Stanley (Pitman 91), Ferrell, Purdie, Stansfield (Fleetwood 94), Williams (Ipoua 75). Subs not used: Mawson, Carey-Bertram.

Halifax: Kennedy, Quinn, Atherton, Young (Bushell 61), Haslam, Foster, Thompson, Doughty (Senior 76), Forrest, Sugden (Grant 66), Killeen. Subs not used: Butler, Smikle.

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northampton).

Attendance: 15,499.

GOALS: Killeen, 27, 0-1; Williams, 34, 1-1; Grant, 72, 1-2; Ipoua, 79, 2-2; Green, 108, 3-2.

BOOKINGS: Hereford -- Mkandawire, foul, 76; Jeannin, foul, 88; Green, over-zealous celebration, 108; Ipoua, time-wasting, 109; Halifax -- Senior, foul, 110.