Bulls News

Shirley Happy To Be Back In Team

ONE player who has returned to the Hereford United team after injury recently is John Shirley, who has started at left back in recent matches.

The twenty year old has moved into the slot vacated by Tony Capaldi at left back when the Irishman's loan spell ended and he rejoined Birmingham City.

A central midfielder, Shirley is happy just to be back in team and told the Evening News: "Central midfield is my normal role but just playing is enough at the moment after missing so much of the season. I was out for ages with a bad ankle and was just struggling to get back in the team.

"It was frustrating being injured during pre season as well because that's when the manager picks the team and you have to prove yourself all over again. We didn't know what the injury was - at first we thought it was tendons but it actually turned out to be ligaments."

Shirley grew up in North London before moving to Malvern when he was eleven and after a spell at Wolves, he joined the Bulls as an apprentice. He is in the final year of his contract and he commented: "My aim is to keep fit and stay in the team and hopefully get another contract. Results have picked up for the team lately and everything seems to be coming together and our confidence is growing."

Phil Robinson, the Hereford coach, said of Shirley: "John had a bad injury at the start of the season which didn't settle down but he's been back fit for a month or so now and he's starting to find his form. He's been excellent at left back since replacing Tony Capaldi and he has been very comfortable even though he is right footed."

HEREFORD United 3 - 0 Margate

Hereford continued their excellent recent run with a comfortable 3-0 win over Margate at Edgar Street today. There was one change to Tuesday night’s winning side, 4-0 over Chesham United in the FA Trophy, which was Scott Goodwin's return to the starting line-up instead of Jimmy Quiggin. Goodwin came in at left midfield after his suspension, and Paul Parry was pushed up front to partner Gavin Williams.

The first half was a dull affair, with Hereford doing most of the attacking but no real chances made. The first Bull to make an effort towards the Margate goal was Ian Rodgerson, in the tenth minute, when he headed a John Shirley cross, but Williams managed to get in the way and deflect it wide. Within less than a minute the only real chance of the first half came and went. A cross by Parry was pushed into the path of Williams by Goodwin, but the Margate 'keeper raced off his line to save at point blank range from the Welshman.

The rest of the half saw a new corner routine which resulted in Parry shooting wide, and it was Parry again, who headed a Goodwin cross wide ten minutes later. Margate’s only chance of the first half came in the thirtieth minute when Phil Collins forced Ian Wright into a mistake and ran onto it, but shot high and wide from a tight angle. The only other chance of note was a John Snape shot deflected for a corner.

The second half was far more entertaining, first off was Goodwin’s goal four minutes in. A right wing cross was chested by Goodwin to Rodgerson on the penalty spot, who laid the ball back for Goodwin to hit an eighteen yard screamer in off the post. More pressure by Hereford saw Snape shoot over and Williams forcing Gate goalkeeper Charlie Mitten into another excellent save, after a Parry cross, with a header.

Leon Braithwaite’s pace almost got the better of Hereford when a weak back header by Matt Clarke dropped into no man’s land. Just as he collected the ball, Tony James slid in and took it off his toe; a very important and excellent tackle. Within eleven minutes of the first goal, John Shirley scored Hereford’s second with a twenty yard volley with his left foot. It was a superb goal in which to shut his critics up within Block B, in the first half some guy said 'Shirley! Get off the pitch!’. When he scored Shirley ran over and pointed at him!

Margate were almost back in the game within three minutes when Ian Wright headed against his own post, and between the two goals, two away players were booked for fouls. One of them, Simon Beard, booked in this time, was booked again for a late challenge and sent off. From the resulting free kick Parry almost scored, when he struck the ball towards the top corner, but the Margate keeper made a comfortable save. The next few minutes saw Hereford dominate and make two half chances, Goodwin chipping over the bar from twenty yards and Snape shooting wide. Margate did get a chance on target when Paul Lamb headed gently at Matt Baker in the Hereford goal; this took them seventy eight minutes to achieve.

Another two half chances were made by Hereford before substitute Rob Elmes finished off Margate with a tap in. A run by Williams down the right was stopped by a Margate defender, but as Mitten ran out to collect the ball Williams managed to kick back to Clarke. With the 'keeper nowhere, Clarke kept his cool to pass the ball to Elmes in the six yard area and he made no mistake tapping home. After this, Margate totally lost their rag with three bookings and their central defender was sent off for handling the ball to stop Williams from running on and adding a fourth. Also in the middle of this, Elmes put a header wide of the post, and Clarke was also booked.

So yet another comfortable home win for the Bulls in front of 1,474, with about thirty Margate fans. I felt Chris Kinnear's side lacked any imagination going forward, and they were made to pay by a confident Bulls team. I will give the man of the match award to Ian Rodgerson; I think he has done an excellent job over the last few games and is a bit of an unsung hero.

Written by Tim Ward - 19th January 2002.

Hereford United: Matt Baker, Matt Clarke, John Shirley, Phil Robinson, Ian Wright (captain), Tony James, Ian Rodgerson, John Snape, Paul Parry (off, 73 minutes), Gavin Williams, Scott Goodwin
Subs: Rob Elmes (on, 73 minutes,) Lee Evans, Jimmy Quiggin, Steve Piearce, Jon Hill
Scorers: Scott Goodwin (49 minutes) John Shirley (60 minutes) Rob Elmes (77 minutes)
Man of the Match: Ian Rodgerson
Attendance: 1,474
Referee: Mr. D. Whitestone (Northampton)