United aim for first victory of season at Bristol Rovers

10:09am Thursday 21st August 2008

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HEREFORD United will be hoping that it will be third time lucky, in more ways than one, when they visit the Memorial Stadium to take on Bristol Rovers in a League 1 clash on Saturday.

The Bulls came away with nothing on both of their previous visits to the Pirates’ headquarters, suffering a 2-1 defeat in League 2 two seasons ago and following this up with a 1-0 reverse in the FA Cup third round later in the campaign.

Of more immediate concern to boss Graham Turner, however, will be the two defeats suffered in United’s opening two League 1 encounters.

“When you start off with two games and do not get a point on the board, you are going to be under pressure,” he said.

“The players have to have the nerve and the bottle to deal with it.

“It is a testing time for everyone within the club and the only way we will put it right is with hard work.”

Both of United’s League 1 matches, and their Carling Cup tie at Crystal Palace, have ended in 2-1 defeats and five of the six goals conceded have come from defensive errors, a trait that Turner is certainly looking to put in the past.

“The higher up the leagues you go, the more unforgiving it is,” said the United director of football.

“You get punished for every mistake you make.

“We should have got something on the board but they are all big games now.”

Turner will have to decide whether to revert to the 4-5-1 formation used at Leyton Orient and Crystal Palace or continue with his preferred 4-4-2 lineup utilised against Yeovil last Saturday.

Either way, team changes are possible with Garry Breen, who played for the Republic of Ireland under-21 side in Austria in midweek, pushing for a place in central defence.

Although Conference play-off hero Ryan Green is sidelined by injury, there will be one former Bull in the Rovers squad.

Andy Williams, who left Edgar Street for Bristol at the beginning of last season for a fee believed to be in the region of £150,000, is expected to be in the Pirates’ lineup after scoring in their first home match against Carlisle.