Full-time: Burton Albion 3 Hereford United 0 (From Hereford Times)

Full-time: Burton Albion 3 Hereford United 0

9:36pm Saturday 4th September 2010

• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

Hereford continue to slip down the table after suffering a third successive reverse at the Pirelli Stadium.

And perhaps even more worryingly, the Bulls have now gone a remarkable 524 minutes since scoring their only goal of the season in the 1-0 win at Crewe on the season’s opening day.

Boss Simon Davey made three changes for the trip to Burton.

Following the defeat at home to Rotherham, Mathieu Manset was recalled after injury in attack where there was a debut for Amadou Rabihou.

And, with Michael Townsend on the injured list, Richard Rose got his first outing of the season as part of a three-man defence with Janos Kovacs and O’Neil Thompson.

Hereford came under early pressure at the back but Adam Bartlett’s handling in the Bulls goal was secure.

And the Bulls keeper pulled off a brilliant flying save when Shaun Harrad let fly with a 25-yard stinger.

Skipper Kovacs picked up Hereford’s 17th yellow card of the season – in just the sixth game – with a clumsy challenge on Harrad a minute later.

Hereford showed their first glimpse of attacking flair with Kenny Lunt releasing Joe Colbeck down the right.

The midfielder raced into the area only to slip over as he attempted to deliver the cross.

On 20 minutes, Burton defender Nathan Stanton limped off with ex-Hereford favourite Tony James replacing him.

Hereford were now getting forward well and Rabihou set up Colbeck for a shot which flashed just past an upright.

Another excellent build-up then saw Manset crack an effort inches wide.

It was Burton, however, who took the lead on 27 minutes when a free-kick from John McGrath reached Richard Walker who was given chance to turn and shoot past Bartlett.

And three minutes later, a rapidly deteriorating situation became worse when Aaron Webster’s pass picked out Harrad, who beat the Hereford offside trap and fired past Bartlett.

Hereford hit back and keeper Adam Legzdins did well to tip over a Rabihou 20-yarder.

And the Cameroonian striker fired just over from James McQuilkin’s resulting corner.

But Burton were quickly back on the attack and Bartlett pulled off a superb double save from Harrad and then Walker.

As half-time approached, Colbeck seemed lucky to escape with just a yellow card when he appeared to stamp on a Burton defender.

At the interval, Davey withdrew Thompson and reverted to a 4-4-2 formation with Dominik Werling making his first appearance on the left of midfield.

But, within a minute of the start of the second period, Burton broke forward and Russell Penn’s 35-yarder struck Rose and beat Bartlett.

Hereford threatened when Legzdins failed to hold a Ryan Valentine free-kick under pressure from Kovacs.

But no-one was able to get on the end of the loose ball and Ryan Green sliced a shot over shortly afterwards.

Rabihou sent a chipped volley just over after an astute pass forward from Lunt.

At the other end, Green conceded a needless free-kick to put Hereford under pressure and it took a good save from Bartlett to prevent Walker from getting a fourth.

Walker was out of luck with a chip which hit a post with Bartlett reacting quickly to save Harrad’s follow-up effort.

And former Hereford triallist Jacques Maghoma cleared the stand with a drive from the edge of the area.

On 76 minutes, Hereford produced their best effort with a fine drive from substitute Stuart Fleetwood which drew an excellent save from Legzdins.

But Hereford continued to struggle to find a way through, even with Burton down to 10 men after Darren Moore was forced off by injury.

Hereford: Bartlett; Green, Kovacs, Rose, Valentine; Lunt, Thompson (Werling 46), McQuilkin; Colbeck, Manset (Malsom 65), Rabihou (Fleetwood 65). Subs not used: Whittaker, Stratford, Canham, Kanoute.

Burton: Legzdins; Corbett, Moore, Stanton (James 21), Webster; Young, Penn, McGrath, Maghoma; Harrad (Pearson 72), Walker (Ellison 78). Subs not used: Poole, James, Phillips, Dyer, Grocott.

Referee: Darren Sheldrake (Surrey).

Attendance: 2,556.

Yellow cards: Hereford – Kovacs, foul, 16 min; Colbeck, stamping, 42 min; Manset, foul, 47 min; Burton – Young, foul, 67 min; James, foul, 85 min.

Goals: Walker, 27 min, 1-0; Harrad, 30 min, 2-0; Penn, 46 min, 3-0.