Nightmare on Edgar Street

Christmas came early to Herefordshire yesterday as Santa Ricketts and his defencive elves gifted Hereford their first Home win of the season.

City paid the price for far to many defensive blunders.If you don’t clear the ball from your own six -yard box then you are going to get punished and that is what happened.

The pre match expectations amongst City fans was high after last weeks 1-0 win over Peterborough and we were looking for a third straight win. But our hopes were quickly exstinguished after conceding two goals in the space of three first-half minutes.

First Toumani Diaguoraga cashed in on Paul Heckingbottom’s hesitancy to strike the opening blow. And then Steve Guinan headed home a second after Omar Daley had given the ball away cheaply in the box, though Donovan Ricketts really should have kept it out at the far post.

Hereford 2 City 0

City failed to cope with the constant long ball tactics deployed by Hereford with speed merchant Ainsworth causing the Bantams defence all sorts of problems.

The Bantams finally got off the mark after a shot from Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu had smacked the bar.Eddie Johnsons shot took a lucky deflection of Guylians outstretched boot and flew into the Hereford net.

Half Time Hereford 2 City 1

Any hopes we had for a comeback were quashed early in the second half when Herford regained their two-goal advantage.Paul Heckingbottom’s crude lunge felled Lionel Ainsworth and Trevor Benjamin stepped up to score with a thumping spot kick.

Hereford 3 City 1

Bradford piled forward trying to salvage something out of the game.Substitue Kyle Nix on for the ineffective Colbeck should have been awarded a stone-wall penalty when he was clearly impeded by a Hereford defender but the referee ignored frantic City appeals.
City eventually halved the deficit through Ndumbu-Nsungu with an excellent solo effort.

Hereford 3 City 2

What followed was the inevitable after such an uncharacteristic defensive nightmare from the City back four and at time calamitous goalkeeping from Donovan Ricketts.
Bradford paid the price for throwing too many men forward as a Hereford break set up a simple fourth for substitute Theo Robinson six minutes from time

Full Time Hereford 4 City 2

City played their part in this thrilling encounter but had nothing to show for all their effort’s.The truth is Bradford gave away three of the four goals with poor defensive errors and after conceding two quick goals gave themselves a huge mountain to climb away from Home.

Player Ratings

Ricketts 4
Shocking error gifted Herefords second goal.Redeemed himself later with a couple of decent saves,but attempt to stop Herefords fourth was laughable.

Harben 5
Pick off the defenders.

Weatherall 4
Got caught out by long ball tactics.

Bower 4
Poor defending never got to grips with Herefords front-men Guinan and Benjamin.

Heckingbottom 4
Gave away needless penalty.Ainsworth gave him a torrid afternoon.

Colbeck 4
Failed to deliver any useful crosses into the box again.

Johnson 6
Battled well in midfield.

Evans 5
Never got to grips with the game in general poor performance by his standards.

Daley 7
Always a threat,but needs to bring other City players into the game instead of trying to beat the opposition single handed.

Thorne 6
Quite afternoon but showed good awareness.

Guylian 9
On another day could have had a hat-trick.Great performance.

Conlon N/A
On for 12 minutes.No time to shine.

Nix 6
Looked lively and unlucky to have a penalty decision turned down.
Williams,Phelan and O’Brien.