| Wrexham will be
looking to bounce back from the midweek hammering against Villa in what
will be out last game for two weeks because of international call ups.
Although the league table means nothing
until ten games, three points will be a good confidence booster
especially as we lie in nineteenth position with no game next weekend
when all the other teams play.
Hereford arrive at the Racecourse with
only one defeat this season and that came in mid week at Birmingham in
the Carling Cup after they ran their Premier League hosts close in a 2-1
defeat. The Bulls made it through to the second round after an
impressive 4-1 home win over League One Yeovil with all four goals
coming in the first half.
 Hereford started their league campaign
with a goalless draw at home to Rotherham and followed this up with
their first three points against Barnet in a 2-1 win at Underhill.
Another draw followed last weekend at home to Rochdale when the on loan
Theo Robinson cancelled out a Rochdale penalty.
The Bulls enjoyed a similar start to
last season on their return to the Football League after a nine year
absence in the Conference. They were well placed just outside of the
play off positions with eleven games left but they only collected one
further league win which meant Hereford slipped into mid table
obscurity.
Hereford struggled away from Edgar
Street last season with only five wins on their travels. The last of
these was back in February and the Bulls are a fifth of the way to
equalling this record with a win in their first away game at Barnet.
Alan Connell finished top goal scorer
last season with ten goals but the former Bournemouth and Torquay
striker joined Brentford in the summer on a free transfer.
Connell was not the only departure from
Edgar Street in the summer with manager Graham Turner, who is also
Chairman of the club, releasing eight players in total but has brought
in as many in time for the start of the season.
The last arrival was Michael Ingham
after we let him go on a free transfer at the end of last season. Ingham
was originally signed on a one month contract but he has today
signed a contract to the end of the season but is yet to feature for The
Bulls.
Other summer signings include much
travelled striker Trevor Benjamin on a free transfer from Peterborough
United. Twenty-eight year old Benjamin has really failed to hit the
heights following his £1.5 million transfer from Cambridge to Leicester
in 2000 and last season was sent out on loan to Boston and Walsall after
making only 20 league starts in two years with the Posh.
Hereford have also brought in Watford
youngsters Theo Robinson and Toumani Diagourgara on four month loan
spells after impressing whilst on trial with the Bulls during
pre-season.
Manager Turner has been in charge of
the club, literally both on and off the field, since August 1995 after
having spells in charge of Shrewsbury, Villa and Wolves. Turner has
taken charge of over 600 games for the Bulls and helped them regain
their league status two seasons ago with a Conference play off final
victory over Halifax.
The two league games last season went
the way of the home teams with Steve Evans scoring the only goal of the
game in the first half at the Racecourse. In the return match at Edgar
Street, we were struggling for bodies and Brian Carey came out of the
retirement to sit on the bench but a make shift team went down to a goal
in each half from the now departed Connell.
Hereford lead the head-to-head in the
league with 12 wins to our 7 and there have been 11 games in the 30
games between the sides. The matches last season were the first in the
league since 1993 but there has been two cup games in between.
Team News:
Wrexham have received clearance from the Football
League for Silvio Spann five hours before the transfer deadline but
Brian Carey has hinted that the midfielder is unlikely to feature
against the Bulls.
Wrexham will make changes to formation and personnel
from the midweek defeat against Villa with Brian Carey expected to
switch back to the familiar 4-4-2. That will mean Michael Jones, Colin
Murtagh will make way for Anthony Williams and Danny Williams
respectively.
Brian Carey has attacking options with Matty Done
fighting Eifion Williams for the left wing spot and with Neil Roberts
lined up to return up front, either Mark Jones or Levi Mackin will
retain the final midfield place.
The other decision for Carey is to decide on who will
partner Shaun Pejic in defence - Steve Evans or Richard Hope.
Hereford have a full-strength squad, although boss
Graham Turner has several selection dilemmas.
Striker Trevor Benjamin has contributed just one goal in five starts,
which may mean a start for Steve Guinan.
Elsewhere in League Two:
With all the 100% records gone in the
league, Darlington currently edge Chester at the top of the table with
seven points but have scored one more goal in their first three games.
Both clubs face away games this weekend
with Darlington travelling to Macclesfield and Chester head to Yorkshire
to play Rotherham.
All teams have at least picked up a
point this season with league newcomers Dagenham & Redbridge propping up
the early table and they face a difficult task at home to Lincoln who
have started with two wins from their first three games. |
