United must bounce back after cup exit

4:31pm Thursday 20th November 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Dagenham & Redbridge 2 Hereford United 1. By Richard Prime Sports Editor.

HEREFORD United fans will be hoping that last Saturday’s excellent win over Cheltenham was not a false dawn after the Bulls were dumped out of the FA Cup in a first-round replay at Victoria Road on Tuesday evening.

United found their famous Cup tradition counted for nothing after they were outscrapped by the determined, aggressive and straightforward League 2 outfit.

The writing was on the wall from the 17th minute when goalkeeper Craig Samson was rooted to his line as Paul Benson leapt above the Hereford defence to head home the impressive Sam Saunders’ cross.

Fifteen minutes later, Karl Broadhurst’s header appeared to have cleared the danger, only for Solomon Taiwo’s spectacular 25-yard volley to flash over Samson and into the net for a second goal.

Within a minute, Kris Taylor had raced down the left before cutting in to fire home a right-foot shot off a post. But that was the only clawback for United in a performance which Bulls coach John Trewick admitted was not good enough.

For a fuller report on Tuesday’s clash, visit herefordtimes.com/sport.

On Saturday, United will be hoping to build on their success against Cheltenham by beating Northampton Town at Edgar Street before travelling to take on MK Dons next Tuesday.

The Bulls are hoping to have Lionel Ainsworth in their side after making an offer to bring the flying winger back to Edgar Street from Watford on loan.

BULLS FACTFILE: Hereford: Samson; Diagouraga, Beckwith, Broadhurst, Taylor; Gwynne (Johnson, 77 min), Smith, O’Leary (Rose, 66 min), Easton; Guinan, Williams (Hudson-Odoi, 66 min). Subs not used: Breen, MacLeod, Done, Chadwick.

Dagenham: Roberts; Foster, Okuonghae, Arber, Griffiths; Saunders, Taiwo, Gain, Ritchie (Nurse, 80 min); Strevens, Benson (Nwokeji, 90 min). Subs not used: Higan, Southam, Graham, Uddin, Tejan Sie.

Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Attendance: 1,409 (140 from Hereford).

Yellow cards: Hereford – Diagouraga, foul, 90 min; Dagenham – Ritchie, foul, 79 min.

Goals: Benson, 18 min, 1-0; Taiwo, 33 min, 2-0; Taylor, 34 min, 2-1.