U's crash to 3-1 defeat
Cambridge United slumped to a fourth successive league defeat, conceding two penalties as they were beaten by Hereford United.Ryan Bowman opened the scoring from the spot in the first half for the visitors after a handball by Josh Coulson.
Substitute Tom Shaw equalised soon after half-time with a good finish from 20 yards, but in the 70th minute the unfortunate Coulson was involved as Hereford regained the lead, deflecting a Sam Clucas shot past the stranded Craig Ross.
United tried to respond but Bowman’s second coolly despatched spot kick, awarded for a foul by Harrison Dunk on substitute Ryan Jackson, wrapped up the points for the Bulls.
FULL TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-3 HEREFORD UNITED
16.54: That's full-time, the U's are beaten for a fourth successive match despite a performance that, at times, promised more.
16.50: Four minutes to be added. Four minutes too long as far as the U's are concerned.
16.44: KEVIN ROBERTS has been named the MAYICLAIM Man of the Match.
16.40: United applying some pressure, free kick reaches Hughes, who slings the ball back into the box but the unmarked Kev Roberts can only head over at the far post. Watkins heading off now for Hereford, McDonald on in his place.
16.37: Jamie Reed on for the U's, replacing Luke Berry.
16.35: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-3 HEREFORD UNITED. Ball comes across to Jackson, who steps inside Dunk and goes down in a heap. Looked a fairly clear penalty to me, no complaints from the U's players. BOWMAN takes aim again and shoots high into the net.
16.30: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-2 HEREFORD UNITED. Really unlucky for United, who trail again. Clucas receives the ball 25 yards out and makes space for a shot, which takes a wicked deflection off JOSH COULSON and into the corner as Ross dives the other way.
16.29: Change for the U's, Brighton replaces Tom Elliott, who looks exhausted.
16.24: YELLOW CARD. And another one goes, this time Gallinagh for bringing down Dunk in full flight. Jarvis rolls the free kick short to Shaw, but his shot is charged down. Game getting increasingly frantic.
16.21: YELLOW CARD. Michael Gash the latest player to be booked by the card happy referee for showing his frustration as a decision doesn't go his way. Meanwhile Hereford make a change, Jackson on for Sharp.
16.20: Ball breaks kindly for Rossi Jarvis, who advances into the box but his cross-cum-shot is cleared before it can reach Elliott.
16.14: YELLOW CARD. The lively Clucas bursts forward and goes to ground just outside the box under minimal contact from Berry, who is booked as Mr Hopkins awards the visitors a free kick. That was dubious, and luckily for the U's Watkins smashes a curling shot well over the bar.
16.11: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-1 HEREFORD UNITED. United level, and it's the substitute with the goal. A long clearance up finds a gaggle of players jostling for possession. TOM SHAW emerges with the ball, gets it out of his feet and drills a low shot past Bittner from 20 yards. All square at the R Costings Abbey Stadium.
16.10: Head tennis in the box after a Watkins free kick from the left. Eventually O'Keefe plants a header past Ross but the ref had pulled play back for a U's free kic
16.08: Musa misses his kick giving Berry half a sight of goal, but his attempted lob sails over Bittner and the cross bar.
16.05: Half-time change for the U's, with Tom Shaw replacing Anderson. This means Hughes is now stationed on the left of midfield.
16.04: The team's are back, today's attendance is 2,171 (away 161)
HALF TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-1 HEREFORD UNITED
15,48: That's half-time, United trail to Bowman's penalty, boos for referee Hopkins as he exits the pitch.
15.45: Three minutes to be added, Dunk with the cross but again Elliott's header is into the arms of Bittner.
15.42: YELLOW CARD. Rossi Jarvis booked in the aftermath of the goal for continuing his protests. United have a free kick now, which Anderson will swing into the box, but Elliott heads straight at Bittner.
15.40: PENALTY, GOAL, CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-1 HEREFORD UNITED. Hereford corner now, in it comes and the ref points to the penalty spot! Handball by Hughes I think. The United players are furious, I'm not really in a position to say whether it was the correct decision. Anyway, RYAN BOWMAN spots the ball, and scores, rolling his penalty down the middle. The visitors lead.
15.38: United with a corner, it spins up off the heads of Gash and Elliott out to Jarvis, whose shot is charged down and Hereford break way, Roberts having to do some assiduous defending to clear. Long
15.35: Now Gash also penalised for pushing, not sure about that one, looked 50/50 at worst. Anyway, Hereford free kick in a good position. First cross by Watkins is blocked, the winger tries again and this time Graham, up from the back, plants a header wide.
15.34: YELLOW CARD. Elliott looks shocked as he's booked for backing into his man. Can only assume that's the result of several fouls.
15.30: Nice ball in from Dunk, but Gash can't get any power in his header, and Bittner makes a fairly comfortable save diving to his left.
15.27: Good overlap from Harrison Dunk, who goes past his man but skews his cross behind for a goal kick. United on top, but not flowing fluidly when they're on the front foot. Hereford content to slow things down and counter-attack.
15.20: YELLOW CARD. James now getting a booking for bringing down Berry. Ref had tried to play advantage but Anderson had wandered offside, that'll be a Hereford free kick. They clear up to Bowmen, who makes a bit of space but hits a low shot straight at Ross.
15.18: Good play from Clucas, making tracks down the U's right and winning a corner off the covering Jarvis. It's taken short but when the cross comes in it's low and easily whacked clear by Gash.
15.10: YELLOW CARD. O'Keefe goes in the book for leading with an arm on Anderson, U's free kick in the centre circle.
15.09: Good play down the right with Berry and Roberts working the ball back to Gash, but his floated cross is too long for Elliott and Anderson.
15.05: Decent start from United, the pitch seems quite hard so passing football probably quite tricky. Anderson to deliver a free kick, in it comes, misses everyone, bounces off Bittner and spins just wide of the post, Anderson close to a first U's goal in strange circumstances there. Corner from Jarvis is repelled at the second attempt.
15.01: Here we go, Harrison Dunk at left-back for the U's with Anderson in midfield. Unorthodox from Richard Money.
14.59: The teams are out, United in their usual amber and black, Hereford in an all white strip.
14.50: Last time Hereford came to the R Costinga Abbey Stadium was in August 2005 for United's first home game as a Conference side. The match, which was broadcast live on TV, saw the U's hit the front through Stephen Smith, before Guy Ipoua leveled for Hereford. But United roared back in the second half to take the points thanks to David Bridges goal.
Cambridge United: Ross, Roberts, Anderson (Shaw 45), Coulson, McAuley, Hughes, Dunk, Berry (Reed 78), Jarvis, Gash, Elliott (Brighton 69). Subs: Hedge, Shaw, Reed, Wassmer, Brighton.
Hereford United: Bittner, Gallinagh, James, Stam, Graham, Watkins (McDonald 81), Clucas, O'Keefe, Musa, Bowman, Sharp (Jackson 61). Subs: Heath, Carruthers, Jackson, Smikle, McDonald.
14.33: TEAM NEWS. United make four changes to the side that lost up at Mansfield last Saturday. Out go Jonathan Hedge, Charlie Wassmer, Tom Shaw and Jamie Reed. In come Craig Ross, Joe Anderson and, returning from injury, Harrison Dunk and Tom Elliott. No sign of Andy Pugh or Curtis Haynes-Brown, or new loan goalkeeper Jesse Joronen.
No ex-U's in the Hereford side, but plenty of familiar faces including ex-Forest Green goalkeeper James Bittner, who has a habit of playing a blinder against us. Marlon Jackson, who scored twice against the U's in the corresponding fixture at Edgar Street, is only on the bench, but top scorer Ryan Bowman is included.
14.25: Good afternoon and welcome to the R Costings Abbey Stadium for the Blue Square Bet Premier match between Cambridge United and Hereford United. Three successive defeats have left United's play-off hopes in tatters, but Richard Money will be hoping his charges can get back to winning ways against Martin Foyle's Bulls.