Hereford United vs Torquay United

[oxgull]

2 - 2?? oh well, it could have been an embarrasment if they had scored a winner but this is 2 points lost I think

[Trojan 67]

not as disappointed as (barnsley manager) mark robins will be .......

[AndyC]

We're just too inconsistent at the moment, and I doubt some of the turmoil that seems bound to happen in January is going to help. Finger crossed I am wrong...

[gulls_aloud]

Agree with bixie about bewildering radio devon reaction to herefords second goal. struggling to post from tiny phone so this may be a repeat post and apologies for doing an uncle bulgaria and being behind the times. glad we get the chance to move on quickly - bring on oxford.

[SuperNickyWroe]

[Trojan 67]

[/quote]

[/quote]


What ?

Dual loyalty ?

Double spanked by the bookies ?

[Trojan 67]

FT : 2-2

Disappointed

two points dropped

2 - 2?? oh well, it could have been an embarrasment if they had scored a winner but this is 2 points lost I think

Now lets look on the bright side :

WE ARE UNBEATEN IN 2011

[Jeff]

Well, what a sense of disappointment. As I sit here in a gridlocked car park, I'll share my thoughts on a roller coaster of a game.

Was it 2 points dropped? Well on paper yes, but on chances Hereford can feel disappointed they didn't win, possibly more so that we can. We hit the post at 2-2 through a beautiful Benyon curler, but at the same scoreline Beva produced an amazing double save. If I'm being brutally honest, Hereford had more pressure and chances than we did. We defended so badly that almost every attack created something.

It had all started so well, as well. Stroking the ball around neatly, nice little triangles and give-and-go's. A couple of early forays down the right so Zebs and O'kane put balls in which could have resulted in goals had we attacked the right areas. Hereford were the epitome of hit and hope in the first time, but pretty quickly you could see that when the ball got to Manset, it generally created a chance.

From the first whistle until - ironically - Branno went off we were calamitous at the back. Misplaced passes, wayward headers, none of it looked good. But with the lethargic Bauza and hot and cold Fleetwood feeding off Manset's hold up play, they didn't really come that close.

We nearly opened the scoring in a comedy fashion, a routine backpass is there to be hit first time by the Bulls keeper Bartlett, but his standing leg goes and the ball trickles out for a corner. 3 yards to the left and it's 1-0 and own goals and gaffes......

But a few mins later we're one up anyway. An attack down the right with zebs sees him feed the ball in the box to O'kane. A quick shift onto his left foot throws the defender, and Eunan lashes it in the top corner. 1-0 and looking o.k.

But the shocking defending persists. Besides a wonderful drive from Hemmings that clips the bar we're creaking at the back. And from a routine long ball we concede. Ellis and Bevs head on a collision course, neither takes decisive action and both (and fleetwood) all get in a tangle. The ball pops out, fleetwood stayed on his feet and is greeted with the sort of tap we never score. 1-1

Even then we are still creaking at the back, and a few corners and pressure follow. And from pretty much our next attack we score. A ball into the box for Hemmings, who takes too long to adjust his feet and his shot is blocked. The chance looks to have gone, but Benners is onto it on an ever decreasing angle, and absolutely drills one over the keepers head and into the roof of the net. Cue delerium and 2-1.

Surely we'd be more solid second half? Well, no. Manset still dominating Ellis and still shaky at the back. A couple of gulls chances follow, Hemmings denied at the near post by a block-tackle. At the other end Bevs magnificently tips over a free kick. But the next free kick he faces is a disaster. Whipped into the box right on top of him, he fumbles under pressure from a couple of Hereford players. The ball breaks, and going away from goal (and not even looking) Manset backheels it into the net. Inspired? Lucky? Whatever, it's 2-2.

And it doesn't stop, wave after wave of Hereford attack follows! Bevan gets down low to parry a drive, but the rebound falls kindly for Manset.......surely 3-2? But no! Bevan blocks the rebound and we live to fight another day! The next attack draws yet another fine save with Manset lurking, another goal looks inevitable.

I may get my timings mixed up now, but I think the next piece of action was Branno get injured. Chasing back as Hereford hit us on the break, he goes down clutching is hamstring. Immediately he is replaced by Robbo, and whether this is linked or not I don't know, but the aerial threat of Manset is much reduced. Robbo did great I thought.

With Manset now finally under control, we begin to venture forward again. A sweeping move sees Benyon cut inside onto his right foot, and curl a peach.............off the post and away. So that's another 2 to the woodwork count this season.

The rest of the game was mostly all us on the attack, but not once did we extend Bartlett. Kee came on and could have snatched it, but rather scuffed his shot straight to Bartlett and that was that. A disappointing end to a day where a solid, no nonsense performance would have seen us win easily, but we overplayed and were too sloppy and we got caught.

Some ratings out of 10:

Bevan - 4 - 3 great saves, 2 shocking errors which gave away goals.
Mansell - 6 - usual fare, guilty of some sloppiness at times
Ellis - 3 - his worst game for us IMO. Mistake riddled
Branno - 4 - not much better than Ellis really. We tightened up when he went off!
Nico - 5 - not as bad as his centre half associates, but delivery was lacking today and was guilty if some hospital balls
Oastler - 5 - another culprit of overplaying
Wroe - 6 - started well and kept trying
O'kane - 8 - my MOTM. Skillful and composed, should never have been subbed so early
Zebs - 7 - some threatening runs, didn't get in enough scoring positions for me
Hemmings - 6 - should have gone of earlier. Started o.k, faded badly. Came fairly close to scoring though.
Benyon - 7.5 - awesome goal, worked hard, needed more support

Subs
Stevens - 5.5 - ran about a bit, but never looked threatening
Robbo - 7.5 - won a lot more in the air in 25mins than Ellis and Branno did combined all day. Combative
Kee - 5 - oh Billy you just don't help yourself! Fluffed a good chance, showed a distinct lack of pace. Bit of a let down.

So all in all, the break didn't do the attacking 5 any harm, whereas the defensive 6 (I include Oastler with these) were still on that break and that is what cost us 2 points. Fair play to Hereford, Manset was outstanding and they took their chances we gifted them. But first half they might as well played without a midfield, and looked poor on the ball.

Car park is nice an quiet now, hopefully a clear run out and away!!! Hopefully that gives some of you an idea how it all happened. As usual I look forward to hearing the views of others who attended to see if I watched the same game as you!

[Trojan 67]

Another superb report Jeff, and perfectly consistent with Dave Thomas's summary. Thank you.

You're not Dave Thomas in disguise, are you ?

[Trojan 67]

Interviews on Radio Devon NOW.

[Trojan 67]

Bucks interview summary :

Overall disappointed with the result, and especially disappointed with the non penalty for the blatant foul on Benyon.

No mention whatsoever of the vacant Bristol Rovers position.

[Jeff]

Bucks interview summary :

Overall disappointed with the result, and especially disappointed with the non penalty for the blatant foul on Benyon.

No mention whatsoever of the vacant Bristol Rovers position.

I think I remember then incident in question ( and omitted it from my summary)

Basically ball over the top and Benyon is on to it, but never really gets in front of their defender ( so they are pretty much shoulder to shoulder as they run). At the last moment benyon goes down and from where I was sitting it looked like it could have been given our way. Benyon appealed but none of our players really did. I appealed but literally everyone around stayed silent, so I kind of sheepishly sat back down and wondered if I'd seen things!

To be fair, it's it's a foul it's a pen and a red card, otherwise it's a booking for diving surely?

[Trojan 67]

Buckle interview : he went over to the ref after the game to remonstrate about the non penalty and the ref said Benyon was argy bargy before going down. Bucks then said why didn't you whistle for a foul against then.

[Wisconsin_gull]

So after the extended layoff it sounds like the woods and irons were ok, but the chipping and putting suffered
Practice green for the lads tomorrow!
Oxford looks like a huge fixture as does the entire program in Jan with the pending distractions
Undefeated in 2011, our run starts here...

[Scott Brehaut]

Will be interesting to see what the next few days bring. If Bucks is going I hope he goes now. That way we can get another manager in before the end of the month and, hopefully, spend some cash on bringing in players should we lose some as has been predicted.

I know it seems a disappointing result to draw 2-2, but we haven't played in a while now so lack of match fitness (no matter how professional the players have been) was always going to be a factor.
We move on - onwards and upwards as they say!!