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| John Mills Who Scored Both Hereford's Goals Receiving Treatment From Physio Jonny Evans Towards The End Of The Game. |
Hereford's first chance on goal came in the ninth minute when Mike McGrath got on the end of Rob Purdie's corner, but his bullet header was cleared off the line by Supermarine's captain Sean Morris.
Three minutes later, Connor Waldon intercepted a misplaced pace from McGrath and was through on goal, but he fired straight at Hereford’s keeper Alex Harris.
John Mills came agonisingly close to opening the scoring in the 14th minute, but after getting on the end of Tristan Plummer's looping ball forward, his shot on the turn went inches wide of the visitors’ goal.
In the 25th minute Mike Symons' persistence paid off as he broke into the box, but he was bundled over by Jack Alexander. With referee Sarah Garratt awarding the Bulls a penalty, and as usual John Mills stepped up, powerfully striking the ball past the keeper with his right foot to break the deadlock.
Tristan Plummer should've done better with a couple of shots from the edge of the area, but he fired both well over the crossbar with little pressure from Swindon's defence.
Pablo Haysham missed a sitter just before half time to increase Hereford’s lead. Swindon’s keeper committed to a loose ball, but it fell to Haysham who curled his effort wide at the far post with the goal gaping.
HT: Hereford 1 - Swindon Supermarine 0
Mike Symons almost made it two three minutes after the restart, but after a smart turn his shot from close-range was saved by the outstretched arm of the keeper.
With Hereford slow to get the ball forward, Pablo Haysham eventually made a spirited run from midfield. As he played a neat ball through to Mike Symons, his shot forced visiting keeper Connor Johns into making a great save, tipping the ball over the bar.
In the 62nd minute, Mark Preece was booked for a needless challenge on one of Swindon's strikers, with substitute Josh Parsons stepping up to take the free kick on the edge of the area. Parsons' first shot was blocked by Hereford's five man wall, before his follow up was well-wide of Harris' goal.
With Hereford seeking to double their lead, John Mills bagged his second of the afternoon in the 66th minute. Pablo Haysham robbed Swindon’s Jon Else of the ball on the left wing before quickly crossing in to John Mills. The Hereford marksman dived to get onto the end of Haysham’s cross, sending his glancing header into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
20 minutes from time, Tristan Plummer was tripped as he made progress down the right. Mike McGrath delivered the ball from the resulting free kick into the area, but Mike Symons was unable to get enough on his header to further increase the Whites' lead
In the 79th minute, Tristan Plummer saw his shot blocked by Joe Shepherd after breaking forward from a Supermarine corner, but the better option may have been to slip the ball through to the better placed Pablo Haysham.
Two goalworthy chances followed for the Bulls, but after Mike Symons headed Rob Purdie’s free kick onto the post, John Mills’ weak effort was straight into the arms of the keeper.
The woodwork once again kept Symons off the scoresheet, with his shot rattling off the crossbar in the 89th minute.
A hair-raising moment followed for Hereford as Swindon had a couple of shots on goal against the run of play, but Harris was on hand to maintain a clean sheet.
FT: Hereford 2 – Swindon Supermarine 0
Att: 2,640
Sponsors’ MotM: John Mills
Hereford: A. Harris, Oates, Edwards (c), Purdie, Green, Preece, Plummer (Molyneux – 82’), McGrath (Williams – 78’), Mills (Edge – 90+2’), Haysham, Symons.
Subs not used: Fortune, Horsell.
Swindon Supermarine: Johns, Else, Morgan, Wood, Shepherd, Alexander (Parsons – 61’), Selman (Thompson – 71’), Hooper, Waldon (Reid – 61’), Morris (c), Campbell.
Sub not used: Dodson.
Next Game: Didcot Town Away on Saturday 4th March at 3pm