April 1997

April 2nd:

Brian McGorry has joined Division 3 strugglers Hereford United on a free transfer from Wycombe..

April 3rd:

BRIGHTON report that they have sold their allocation of 3,250 tickets for the final game of the season at Hereford which could decide who drops out of the League.

April 5th:

HEREFORD 1 Colchester 0

Brian McGorry blitzed Colchester's play-off hopes with a 25-yard free-kick on the stroke of half-time.

McGorry, signed from Wycombe, said: "I looked up at the wall and decided that the top corner was the only place to beat the keeper."

Manager Graham Turner was pleased with the victory.

"It was a vital win. We gave a spirited first-half performance and used the advantage of the wind well.

"With the result so important, we did lose a little bit of belief in ourselves after half-time but character and determination saw us through."

Hereford: Wood, Norton, Smith, (Brough 72 mins), Matthewson, Sandeman, Warner, McGorry, Turner, Fishlock, Adrian Foster (Ian Foster 79 mins), Hargreaves. Sub not used: Hibbard.

Attendance: 2,535.

April 12th:

SCARBOROUGH 1 Hereford 1

Scarborough suffered one of their biggest shocks of the season against lowly Hereford, effectively ending their hopes of a play-off berth.

Hereford keeper Trevor Wood was called upon to make three great saves in the first ten minutes as the home side piled on the pressure.

However gainst the run of play Hereford went ahead in the 37th minute when striker John Williams was superbly set up by Brian McGorry and outpaced three defenders to score.

In the 70th minute Scarborough's Gareth Williams cancelled out Williams's opener for Hereford who are now just three points ahead of basement club Brighton.

"We still have to work hard to survive in the League. But this was a good point and we should do it," said Hereford's Graham Turner.

Scarborough assistant manager Ray McHale said: "They were a vastly improved side on the one we played earlier in the season."

April 17th:

Gloucester City Reserves 2-4 Hereford United Reserves

Gavin Williams grabbed all four goals as Gloucester City reserves were beaten 2-4 by Hereford United at Meadow Park this evening reports the Tiger Roar.

Williams put the visitors ahead in the 23rd minute but City equalised within two minutes through Tom Rutter.

In the 36th minute Hereford retook the lead when Williams curled a shot past Harvey Willetts, and he made it 1-3 midway through the second half.

Andy Tucker quickly reduced the deficit with a deft lob over Medford and Paul Milsom and Rutter both went close to equalising.

But Williams wrapped things up in the 86th minute when he rifled in his fourth.


April 19th:

HEREFORD United 1 Torquay 1 (report from the Sunday Mirror)

Torquay preserved their league status with a battling point.

But the trap door into the Vauxhall Conference is still ominously open for Hereford, who would have expected to beat a side which has won only once in 16 outings.

The visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Steve Winter headed in an Ian Hathaway corner.

Hereford made two substitutions at half-time and it was one of these, Tony Agana, who latched on to a weak punch from Torquay keeper Ray Newland to slide home an angled shot from eight yards after 58 minutes.

Lively Rodney Jack caused problems for the Hereford defence in the first half and his dangerous cross-shot after 25 minutes was punched over by Trevor Wood.

The lively winger also provided a fine cross for Andy McFarlane but the giant striker directed his header wide.

Hereford pushed forward strongly in the second half but were unable to create any further clear chances.

Torquay looked unfortunate in injury time when Trevor Mathewson seemed to bundle over Jack in the penalty area but referee Phil Richards waved play on.


April 26th:

FROM the Independent:

Bottom clubs prepare for shoot-out at the KO corral

With a fortnight to go in the season, the particular agonies of promotion and relegation will be gripping sides throughout the Nationwide League this weekend, but nowhere will the pressure be more intense than at the foot of the Third Division.

There six clubs are teetering over the abyss that separates them from non-League football, knowing that by next Saturday one of them will disappear into the GM Vauxhall Conference.

Brighton are currently three points adrift in bottom spot, but Hereford, Hartlepool, Exeter, Doncaster or Darlington could swap places with them yet. With Brighton scheduled to visit second-from-bottom Hereford on the final day, a nerve-jangling denouement appears likely.

Provided Brighton get at least as many points from their home game against Doncaster this afternoon as Hereford manage at Leyton Orient, the relegation issue will rest on the outcome of that match. And this year, unlike the previous three, the League's 92nd club stands no chance of a reprieve on the grounds that the Conference champions' stadium is not up to standard.

Although next Saturday's fixture has captivated both sets of supporters - a sell-out crowd of 8,500 is virtually assured - the Hereford director of football, Graham Turner, is somewhat less enthralled. "Even over the last few weeks when we have slipped to second from bottom, I thought and hoped that everything would be settled beforehand and it wouldn't be significant," he said. "But it looks more and more likely that it will be vital for both of us."

Brighton have never won a League match at Edgar Street and their away record this season - one win and only 11 goals in 22 matches - is unrivalled for sheer awfulness. Turner, however, attaches little importance to such statistics. "I think the fear factor will be decisive," he said. "Whichever side alleviates it will do better. It's up to our experienced players like John Williams and Tony Agana to help us, but even they're getting edgy."

Both sides should also prepare for the unexpected. In 1987, Torquay were saved from demotion when a police dog bit one of their players. During the time added on for the stoppage, Paul Dobson scrambled a goal which sent Lincoln down instead.

The tight finish to this season had seemed implausible at the turn of the year. Brighton, plagued by turmoil and deprived of two points by the indiscretions of their own supporters, trailed Hereford by seven points on 1 January, having played a game more.

Now, thanks to Gritt and sheer determination, Brighton's destiny is in their own hands. Steve Gritt, the manager, has hauled a doomed side back from the brink. If they win their two remaining games it is likely they will survive for another season of League football.

This season's struggle has been a novel and unpleasant experience for Turner, whose previous appointments at Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and Aston Villa were peppered with promotions and championships. The anguish has been all the greater given that he guided Hereford to the Third Division play-offs last year.

"Nothing I've done in 19 years as a manager prepared me for what I'm feeling at the moment," he said. "This is a totally new experience and one I could do without. People talk about pressure when you're chasing championships but it pales into insignificance compared to being near the bottom of the Third Division.

"Even bring relegated from the First or Second Division can't compare. At least then you maintain your League status and continue to play against similar clubs. Finishing bottom of the Football League means dropping into the unknown. It's a massive blow."

The experience of the five teams who have been demoted since 1987 indicates that loss of League status is not necessarily a one-way ticket to oblivion. Although Newport have folded and Halifax currently languish in the lower reaches of the Conference, Lincoln, Darlington and Colchester have returned stronger from their brief non-League sojourns.

"Any team that can maintain a full-time squad has a good chance," Turner said. "But we haven't given that a moment's thought yet. We've got the next two games to get through first."

Turner acknowledges that Hereford will be the most likely victims of Brighton's revival, but remains confident. "It's certainly in our favour that Orient have nothing to play for against us today whereas Brighton have Doncaster, who aren't definitely out of trouble themselves."

April 26th:

Leyton Orient 2 Hereford 1 (report from the Sunday Mirror)

Hereford face a fight for their league survival next week at Edgar Street, when they go into their clash with Brighton on equal points.

Brighton's superior goal tally leaves Hereford needing victory from this final game of the season to avoid the drop to the Conference league.

Hereford were lucky to go into the halftime interval with the score sheet blank. Keeper Trevor Wood keept them in the game with a series of fine saves but all the excitement was saved for the final 45 minutes.

Ten minutes into the second half the goal finally came, Alex Inglethorpe's shot bouncing over Wood.

After 63 minutes Martin Ling's great effort from just outside the box floated into the corner to put The O's two up.

Hereford awoke from their sleep for the final 20 minutes, but their efforts proved to be too late despite their 75th minute goal from Agana.

For the Bulls their greater battle is still to come in a death-or-glory finale against Brighton. It's a game they must win.

Hereford: Wood, Norton, Brough, Matthewson, Fishlock (wdrn), Sandeman, HARGREAVES, McGorry, Turner (wdrn), Foster , Williams . Subs: Warner 6, Agana 7.

April 28th:

THE Football League has refused a request from the satellite broadcaster, Sky Sports, to switch Hereford United's crucial Third Division survival match with Brighton at Edgar Street from Saturday to Sunday in order to screen the game live.

Chris Hull, a League spokesman, said: "Sky asked the League to move the game forward to Sunday but, after consulting both clubs and the local police, we felt the game should remain on Saturday."

April 29th:

From the Jerusalem Post:

THE bottom of Nationwide Division Three is where either Brighton or Hereford will be relegated out of the league. Saturday's results could not have set up a more intriguing finish after Brighton beat Doncaster 1-0 at home and Hereford lost 2-1 at Leyton Orient. The computer program which set up the fixtures for the season should be named Hitchcock after it threw up the final game of the season next week, Hereford at home to Brighton.

With both clubs on 46 points, the issue is simple - whoever wins, stays up, while a draw is good enough for Hereford.

As fate would have it, this writer found himself with a spare couple of hours on Saturday and went to the Leyton Orient-Hereford game. It's a far cry from the Premiership, and it isn't pretty to watch, but one is left with a feeling that soccer at this level is crucial for the overall survival of the game.

Despite their perilous position, not to mention the long distance, Hereford brought about 2,000 fans with them to east London. Brighton, of course have actually earned 48 points, but had two of them deducted for a pitch invasion by fans at the end of last year and the club has threatened to take the matter to the court of appeal.

April 30th:

HEREFORD United manager Graham Turner reportedly purchased Carey Court for £212,500