24-12-22. Match preview Vs Hereford FC

Preview: Phil Lench

It’s cold and wet out there and it’s also Christmas so those three can only mean one thing and that’s the annual derbies against Hereford FC. The first of those comes on Boxing Day when the Harriers travel down to Hereford in the hope that our confidence boosting win on penalties at AFC Fylde on Tuesday evening in the FA Trophy will continue into this game.

On Tuesday we got our first ever win against Fylde after an early Jack Bearne goal was enough the draw the game in normal time and then go on to win the game on penalties to earn an away tie at Dorking Wanderers in the fourth round of the trophy. That’ll be played on January 14th but before that we have the small matter of using that win to propel ourselves back up the table at Herefords expense.

We were more or less back to full strength at Fylde the other night with the exception of Ethan Freemantle still out suffering from the head injury that he received at Alfreton Town two weeks ago. He could be back for us at Edgar St but Alex Penny and Nathaniel Knight-Percival are still not due back until well into January. There have been no new injuries mentioned since Tuesday so it looks likely that the team that played at Fylde will also play on Boxing Day.

Hereford haven’t played a game since the beginning of December when they drew one each at home to Chorley FC. They, like us and many others, became the victim of the freeze and lost a couple of their scheduled games. 

With the former Harriers defender Josh Gowling now in sole charge, following Steve Burr leaving to go back into a short lived management stint at Hednesford Town, things still haven’t improved for him down there and he seems to be using every excuse under the sun to deflect blame from himself. That can only work for so long though and his days must be numbered.

“You hear rumblings of discontent there (Aggborough),” said Gowling speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester, “and obviously some of the interviews where he’s (Russ Penn) not been happy with his squad.

That just happens sometimes. But they’ll be fine I’ve no doubt about that.

They are a full time team, they’ve spent some good money on some good players. I’m sure they will be better but hopefully not for the next two games.”

Then again there are also rumblings from his own supporters who think that Gowling hasn’t got a clue.

It’ll be a first return for Tom Owen-Evans and Krystian Pearce to Hereford following them joining us in the close season. TOE hasn’t played much this season due to injury but he did get his first start in ages on Tuesday so should be looking for another start against his old club. Hereford have a few ex Harriers playing for them, apart from Gowling, in Jared Hodgkiss, Yan Klukowski and Dale Eve.  

The Bulls have had a fair few injuries to contend with but with their long break from games some of these will now be coming back into contention: Jared Hodgkiss – Meniscus Tear (Knee), Ryan Lloyd – Abdominal Tear, Zak Lilly – Ankle, Dino Visser (GK) – Knee, Aaron Amadi-Holloway – Groin, Thierry Latty-Fairweather – Hamstring, Kane Thompson-Sommers – Ankle, Marco Rus – Illness, Brad Wade (GK) – Elbow, Ryan McLean – Suspension/injury, Jack Evans – Shoulder and Calf and Callum Rowe – Hamstring.

Hopefully they’ll have a few more by Boxing Day then.

Hopefully too we’ll be taking a healthy following down to Edgar Street and, also hopefully, we’ll come back with a long overdue league win from there with the last one coming exactly ten years ago when Jamille Matt gave us the win by a single goal.

Teams:

Harriers from:

Palmer, Emery, Penny, Richards, Knight-Percival, Foulkes, McNally, Pearce, Margetson, Leak, Byrne, Brown, Lissimore, Owen-Evans, Leesley, Rogers, Martin, Freemantle, Bearne, Hemmings, Morgan-Smith.

Hereford FC from:

Eve, Visser, Tyler, Wade, Hodgkiss, Haines, Lilly, Pendley, Latty-Fairweather, Evans, Thompson, Rowe, Maude, Klukowski, Pinchard, Lloyd, Hanson, Thompson-Summers, Campbell, Holmes, Rus, McLean, Storey, Barnett, Osidiko, Amadi-Holloway.

Referee: Mr Ross Martin. Bridport

Talk about the game here

Links to Hereford FC websites here

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