Hereford 2 County 3 (From South Wales Argus)
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Hereford 2 County 3
10:23pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in Sport
By Andrew Penman
Hereford 2 County 3
A STOPPAGE-TIME screamer from super sub Robbie Willmott kept Newport County AFC’s Blue Square Bet Premier title challenge on track at Hereford.
Willmott sealed a thrilling 3-2 win over the Bulls in the third minute of time added on as County recorded their fifth successive victory and kept up the pressure on leaders Wrexham.
The Exiles fell behind twice as Josh O’Keefe scored a brace of penalties but two superb headers from man of the moment Lee Minshull levelled the scores before the late, late drama at a bouncing Edgar Street.
The result takes Justin Edinburgh's men up to third in the table, three points behind Wrexham with two games in hand.
Edinburgh made one change to the side that won 1-0 at Hyde on Saturday with striker Rhys Griffiths making his first start for the club in place of Scott Donnelly.
That meant a slight shake-up in attack with Danny Crow dropping deeper and playing just behind Griffiths and Saturday’s match-winner Christian Jolley.
Griffiths thought he had given his new club the lead midway through the first half but his header on the rebound from Jolley’s shot was ruled out for offside.
After a frantic start with County just about on top and Jolley causing the home defence all sorts of problems, the hosts slowly began to impose themselves.
Sam Clucas sliced a great chance wide and Minshull and ex-Hereford defender Tony James combined to block superbly from Chris Sharp, son of Everton legend Graeme.
The Bulls were charging forward and they forced their way into the lead in farcical circumstances just before half-time with two penalties awarded in the space of a minute.
First Marlon Jackson hit the deck in the box and Lenny Pidgeley saved superbly from Marley Watkins but referee Rob Whitton spotted a handball from David Pipe in the melee that followed and O’Keefe made no mistake with the second spot-kick.
Harry Pell, since departed for AFC Wimbledon, had missed a penalty in the match between these two old rivals at Rodney Parade in August before Andy Sandell and Aaron O’Connor sealed a fine 2-0 win for the Exiles.
This time Edinburgh’s side found themselves behind and without their injured top scorer and talisman O’Connor.
Griffiths, making his first start for months, looked a little off the pace and the former Llanelli hotshot struggled to make the most of the high balls pumped up to him from the back. He made way for Donnelly just before the hour mark.
Crow linked play well in a deeper central role but rarely threatened the Hereford goal and was forced off with a hamstring injury midway through the second half with Willmott replacing him.
The raucous County fans, nearly 1,200 of them, began to get at the referee as he waved away a penalty appeal and awarded a free-kick for a foul on home keeper James Bittner as it looked like Jolley would poke the ball in for an equaliser.
Just as the frustration was beginning to get too much for some Sandell beat his man on the left flank and crossed for Minshull to head powerfully home at the far post on 72 minutes.
But the drama wasn’t over yet as Hereford were awarded their third penalty of the match just three minutes later when the ball appeared to hit Pipe’s hand in the area once again and O’Keefe again beat Pidgeley from 12 yards.
This County side never know when they are beaten, however, and with just ten minutes remaining Minshull climbed high to fire another bullet header past Bittner and send the amber army wild with joy behind the goal.
And when Willmott netted the winner Edgar Street was rocked to its foundations.
The fans will really believe their side can go all the way after this massive three points.
Hereford: Bittner, Connor, Graham, Watkins (Smikle, 58), Jackson, Sharp, Stam, James, Clucas, O’Keefe, Musa Subs not used: Gallinagh, Heath, Carruthers, McDonald Booked: O’Keefe, Bittner
County: Pidgeley, Pipe, James, Yakubu, Anthony, Sandell, Flynn, Minshull, Jolley, Crow (Willmott, 67), Griffiths (Donnelly, 58) Subs not used: Julian, Hughes, Thomson Booked: Sandell
Referee: Rob Whitton (Braintree)
Attendance: 2,519 (1,162 County)
Argus star man: Lee Minshull
Comments(32)
larneman
says...
10:36pm Tue 5 Mar 13
Anyway well done County that was fantastic.
llandaff
says...
10:56pm Tue 5 Mar 13
HEREFORD 2
COUNTY 3
Wow!!!
Tim Thraves top man on the commentary.
Lee Minshull top man on the field and not forgetting Wonderman Wilmott.
It does not get much better than this!!!
Great depth to this team now!
venga
says...
10:57pm Tue 5 Mar 13
NakedDancer
says...
11:08pm Tue 5 Mar 13
Adrian Williams
says...
11:32pm Tue 5 Mar 13
jetspotter
says...
11:55pm Tue 5 Mar 13
Adrian Williams
says...
11:59pm Tue 5 Mar 13
Robert Shillabeer
says...
12:27am Wed 6 Mar 13
Adrian Williams wrote:Adrian, you can't criticise the ref, they're God for heavens sake, you'll get all the Argus people on to you. Great result for the County and still two. Games in hand on Wrexham. Onward and upward.
Considering we were playing against 12 men, that was a monumental result - terminator football, we just kept coming back. Amazing character to come back three times and stuck two fingers up against a cheating referee who should be investigated for cheating/ match fixing. Could be a season definining result that - one of the best games I 've ever been to :o)
County
says...
12:37am Wed 6 Mar 13
COUNTYVOICE
says...
2:24am Wed 6 Mar 13
this run can be put down to the form of this man, 5 star performances in all and 4 goals.
my only criticism on a great night is why oh why did JUSTIN tinker with a winning formation and side.
his formation from the start wasnt working , and he was lucky he changed it in time to achieve this great result.
as i said on one of my previous posts why try to mend something when it doesnt need mending.
stick with the personnel and formation that brought 5 straight wins and promotion is an odds on bet.
well done lads
Adrian Williams
says...
6:40am Wed 6 Mar 13
COUNTYVOICE wrote:Agree 100% - do not change a winning formula
the new midfield general .......THE TANK LEE MINSHULL.
this run can be put down to the form of this man, 5 star performances in all and 4 goals.
my only criticism on a great night is why oh why did JUSTIN tinker with a winning formation and side.
his formation from the start wasnt working , and he was lucky he changed it in time to achieve this great result.
as i said on one of my previous posts why try to mend something when it doesnt need mending.
stick with the personnel and formation that brought 5 straight wins and promotion is an odds on bet.
well done lads
swrxp09
says...
7:46am Wed 6 Mar 13
Missing Somerton
says...
8:40am Wed 6 Mar 13
Hope Tim's voice has returned! Great listening!
Sadly it will be the last year of commentaries on NCR (they won't have rights to league 2!)
netala
says...
9:14am Wed 6 Mar 13
ncfcr
says...
9:21am Wed 6 Mar 13
COUNTYVOICE wrote:We are going to be playing 2 or 3 times a week between now and the end of the season. We won't get away with playing the same 11 in every game.
the new midfield general .......THE TANK LEE MINSHULL.
this run can be put down to the form of this man, 5 star performances in all and 4 goals.
my only criticism on a great night is why oh why did JUSTIN tinker with a winning formation and side.
his formation from the start wasnt working , and he was lucky he changed it in time to achieve this great result.
as i said on one of my previous posts why try to mend something when it doesnt need mending.
stick with the personnel and formation that brought 5 straight wins and promotion is an odds on bet.
well done lads
Missing Somerton
says...
10:48am Wed 6 Mar 13
there's a bias, purposeful or unconscious, against Welsh teams amongst officials and the media. Always has been, probably always will be.
Explains why the other lot in blue....er red.. get such appalling coverage on the Football League show!
Adrian Williams
says...
11:00am Wed 6 Mar 13
ncfcr wrote:Agree that personal will need swapping with so many games upcoming, just saying don't change the system which has clicked and won 5 games straight (should of been 6 had we not been cheated in the last minute against Tamworth)
COUNTYVOICE wrote: the new midfield general .......THE TANK LEE MINSHULL. this run can be put down to the form of this man, 5 star performances in all and 4 goals. my only criticism on a great night is why oh why did JUSTIN tinker with a winning formation and side. his formation from the start wasnt working , and he was lucky he changed it in time to achieve this great result. as i said on one of my previous posts why try to mend something when it doesnt need mending. stick with the personnel and formation that brought 5 straight wins and promotion is an odds on bet. well done ladsWe are going to be playing 2 or 3 times a week between now and the end of the season. We won't get away with playing the same 11 in every game.
county mad
says...
11:30am Wed 6 Mar 13
2nd: There is an anti welsh bias in the english media especially the paedo palace (BBC) radio 5 has a non league show and mentioned in passing wrectum were top and ignored county but gloried grimsby then went on about conf south teams
Tony Soprano
says...
1:30pm Wed 6 Mar 13
this run can be put down to the form of this man, 5 star performances in all and 4 goals.
my only criticism on a great night is why oh why did JUSTIN tinker with a winning formation and side.
his formation from the start wasnt working , and he was lucky he changed it in time to achieve this great result.
as i said on one of my previous posts why try to mend something when it doesnt need mending.
stick with the personnel and formation that brought 5 straight wins and promotion is an odds on bet.
well done lads
I can only think his reason for changing the side is because the Hereford team were 1 of the biggest sides we've played against all season, their defence were huge so maybe it made sense initially but our best play is when we have the ball on the deck, the high balls into the box is desperation football IMO, we were much better when we got the ball down & played football.
Great result against 14 men!! fantastic support from the Amber Army!! CTWD
bodffordd
says...
2:08pm Wed 6 Mar 13
County
says...
2:37pm Wed 6 Mar 13
larneman
says...
3:24pm Wed 6 Mar 13
COUNTYVOICE
says...
6:02pm Wed 6 Mar 13
maybe it was these knockers who may have persuaded edinburgh to change tack a little and everyone is entitled to their opinion, you can only improve through constructive criticism
adrianwilliams, thanks for agreeing with me i did mean stick with the formation , obviously the personnel may have to change too.
but playing crowe out of his natural position may have contributed to his injury, and i do hope he is not out for the rest of the season, because he in addition to MINSHULL have been instrumental in this 5 game winning run.
countyexile
says...
7:28pm Wed 6 Mar 13
jetspotter
says...
8:42pm Wed 6 Mar 13
NakedDancer
says...
9:38pm Wed 6 Mar 13
jetspotter
says...
10:04am Thu 7 Mar 13
bodffordd
says...
8:30am Fri 8 Mar 13
“It’s a case of me managing the squad now and judging who can play on and who needs a rest.
“I rested Scott Donnelly against Hereford because he looked a bit jaded.
I rest my case...up the County
Owain Vaughan
says...
3:17pm Fri 8 Mar 13
COUNTYVOICE
says...
5:13pm Fri 8 Mar 13
but not a winning formation, the change in formation nearly cost us the HEREFORD game, and now DANNY CROWE is out for ANOTHER month , how big a blow that will be , time will tell.
bodffordd
says...
7:06pm Sun 10 Mar 13
sooty001 says...
10:35pm Tue 5 Mar 13