Saturday, November 22, 2003

Hereford United found themselves ripped apart by a rampant Shrewsbury side which amply demonstrated its own promotion credentials in Saturday's top-of-the-table clash at Gay Meadow.

The Bulls were unable to turn some neat first half approach work into goal chances while the home side scored from their only two real opportunities. A third goal near the start of the second period put an end to all hopes of a revival.

Such a comprehensive scoreline tells its own story but the Bulls might point to a crucial decision by referee Bob Pollock in the 12th minute which could easily have altered the outcome.

Ben Smith was clean through and about to strike for goal when his legs were whipped unceremoniously from under him by a home defender.

It seemed a cast-iron penalty but the Merseyside official waved play on and Shrewsbury broke down to the other end of the field and opened the scoring.

Veteran Martyn O'Connor, a major influence in the Shrewsbury midfield, let fly with a shot from 25 yards which was heading straight into Matt Baker's arms until it took a huge deflection off Tamika Mkandawire and flew into the opposite corner of the net.

But if there was a considerable element of fortune about the first goal, the second was superbly crafted, with Ryan Lowe, by some way the best player on the field, working an opening for Colin Cramb whose powerful finish gave Baker absolutely no chance.

As the half finished, Mkandawire, who had earlier made a fine block tackle to deny Duane Darby, got a foot in to deny Jamie Tolley who was just about to shoot.

And when Hereford opened the second half brightly, with Danny Williams forcing a fine save from Scott Howie with a well-struck 30-yard free-kick, Hereford nursed hopes of getting back into the game.

These aspirations were swiftly dashed, however, when Lowe got free on the right and drove in a low cross which Kevin Street, once a Bulls triallist, tapped in from close range.

After Baker had done well to parry a well-struck Lowe 25-yarder, Shrewsbury extended their lead when Darby raced on to a fine pass from Luke Rodgers and opened his personal Shrews account with an accurate finish into the corner of the net.

In the closing stages, Jamie Pitman returned a half-cleared Williams free-kick for Mkandawire to turn a neat volley past Howie but by then the game had long gone.

"Shrewsbury played well and probably outbattled us. They were more determined than us," said Bulls boss Graham Turner.

"I thought it was a cast-iron penalty at no goals for us. I think the difficulty for the referee was that he would have had to send the lad off but he didn't give it and Shrewsbury went down the other end with a wicked deflection for the first goal.

"Sometimes decisions like that do change games and I felt that was the case. That's not being wise after a 4-1 defeat. I don't complain too much about referees but that decision I could not understand.

"That knocked us down a notch or two. After that I have to say that Shrewsbury looked a good side and caused us problems."

"I thought we started to pass the ball well just before Shrewsbury scored and got into some good areas but the goal gave them a lift at home and the crowd got behind them. And then they got another one fairly quickly and if you can't play well when you're 2-0 up then there is something wrong.

"They will be in contention at the end of the season. It's been an embarrassing scoreline. I feel for our supporters. We brought up a terrific following here," Turner remarked.