Saturday, September 21, 2002

TWO superb first-half goals earned Hereford United an excellent 2-0 away win over Stevenage Borough in the Nationwide Conference on Saturday.

Midfielder Matt Clarke opened United's account with a back post header and then Michael Rose grabbed his first senior goal for the club with a sweetly-struck 30-yard free-kick.

Although the Hertfordshire outfit put United under pressure for most of the second half, the visitors' defence led by skipper Ian Wright, making his 150th Conference appearance, the outstanding Andy Tretton and Tony James repelled the aerial bombardment.

Goalkeeper Matt Baker was exposed only once in the second half, in the 72nd minute, and, after saving brilliantly at point-blank range from former Wrexham and Worcester City midfielder Michael Blackwood, the ball fell invitingly for Jean Michel Sigere, who hooked the rebound wide with the goal gaping.

Baker was also tested with a number of crosses and corners and he dealt competently with almost all of them.

The impressive victory gave the Edgar Street club their fourth win in five away matches, stretched their unbeaten run to five games and kept the Bulls in fifth spot in the table.

The home side, however, shaded the opening exchanges and only seconds before United took the lead in the 13th minute, Baker reacted smartly to parry a low cross shot from Charlie Macdonald.

United immediately hit Stevenage on the counter-attack and a fine flowing move ended with Clarke heading Danny Williams' inch-perfect left-wing cross past rookie goalkeeper Phil Wilson and into the far corner of the net.

Striker John Grant had an acrobatic shot headed off the line by Jamie Campbell before Sam McMahon fouled Jamie Pitman 30 yards from goal in the 32nd minute.

Free-kick specialist Rose seized the shooting chance and, with precision and power, he struck the dead-ball over the Stevenage wall and past the despairing dive of Wilson.

The home side finished the half strongly and Baker pushed away goal-bound shots from both McMahon and Macdonald.

At the start of the second period, Rose tried his luck with another long range free-kick which again flew past the diving Wilson but just missed the target. n Hereford have been drawn at home to Northampton in the LDV Vans trophy.