Hereford v Burton Albion
TEAM NEWS: Striker Billy Kee shrugged off a hamstring injury to return to Burton Albion’s starting line-up at Edgar Street as one of three changes from the previous week’s 3-1 FA Cup first round defeat at Oldham Athletic.
Manager Paul Peschisolido’s two other changes saw Tony James replace suspended centre-back Ryan Austin and face his former club, while Aaron Webster, who missed the trip to Boundary Park through injury, came back in for Danny Blanchett.
Right-back Kevin Amankwaah returned after injury but had to settle for a place on the bench alongside, amongst others, Argentinian Andres Gurrieri, who made his debut as a substitute at Oldham.
BULLS (4-5-1): Cornell; Purdie, Green (capt), Townsend, Heath; Barkhuizen, Featherstone, Pell, Clist, Leslie; Elder; subs: Arquin, Facey, Bartlett (gk), Clucas, Dalibard.
BREWERS (4-4-2): Atkins; Corbett, James, Stanton, Webster; Taylor, Bolder, McGrath (capt), Maghoma; Kee, Zola; subs: Poole (gk), Gurrieri, Plamer, Amankwaah, Phillips.
HALF-TIME: After a low-key opening, the game burst into life in the 13th minute when Albion central defender Nathan Stanton pulled back Bulls striker Nathan Elder just outside the box.
Stanton was booked, while the resulting free-kick was played against the wall.
The ball was played into the area, however, and after pinging around, midfielder Tom Barkhuizen’s shot on the turn was inches wide of the far post.
The Bulls did break the deadlock on 19 minutes after Brewers skipper John McGrath was adjudged to have budled Elder over in the penalty area following a corner.
Right-back Rob Purdie stepped up and sent goalkeeper Ross Atkins the wrong way from the spot.
However, the lead lasted just four minutes.
Jacques Maghoma picked up Webster’s throw-in on the left and turned his marker one way and the other before delivering a perfect cross for striker Calvin Zola to plant into the corner of the net.
Winger Cleveland Taylor went close on 28 minutes when he picked the ball up in the right channel.
He had right-back Andy Corbett overlapping, but fired in a low shot which goalkeeper Dave Cornell turned round the near post.
The visitors went close again on 32 minutes as Zola chased a ball down the right.
He touched it past a defender along the by-line and chipped it up for Kee, but the striker could not get up high enough and headed over.
However, the Bulls went ahead again 11 minutes before half-time.
Purdie’s long ball found Barkhuizen breaking into the box from the left.
He looked set to pull the ball back across goal, but spotted Atkins off his line and beat him with a shot at his near post.
HEREFORD UNITED 2, BURTON ALBION 1
FULL TIME: Peschisolido made a change at half-time, with Chris Palmer replacing Adam Bolder.
Palmer was swiftly in the action, sending over a 49th minute cross from the left to the far post, but Webster could only direct his header at Cornell.
Kee then tried his luck with a shot on the turn from 15 yards, but his effort was held low to his left by the Bulls keeper.
Peschisolido made a second chance on 58 minutes, with Gurrieri on for Taylor.
Corbett sent over a cross with his left foot on 63 minutes, but Zola got under his header and his effort safely cleared the bar.
After a lull in the action, left winger Steven Leslie tried his luck from distance, but his low drive, which appeared to be going wide of the far post, was tipped away by Atkins.
Peschisolido’s final change saw winger Jimmy Phillips replace Corbett on 76 minutes as the Brewers went three at the back.
The Brewers went close with eight minutes to go when Palmer sent over a cross which was headed down by Phillips, but Zola, looking offside, saw his shot on the turn blocked on the line by Cornell.
With the fourth official having just signalled six minutes of added time and with the ball bouncing around on the edge of the Bulls penalty area, Webster lashed a right-foot shot into the corner of the net for his 99th Albion goal.
There was still time for more drama as, in the third minute of stoppage time, Maghoma’s cross from the left was touched on by Zola and Kee stole in to prod the ball over the line and grab an unlikely winner.
HEREFORD UNITED 2, BURTON ALBION 3
