Hereford FC 0-2 Kings Lynn FC

HEREFORD looked frustrated and outplayed as Kings Lynn became only the second team in Hereford's history to do a league double as they beat the home team by two goals to nil. .

The game was not without controversy however, when Hereford were denied the chance to pull one back in the 76th minute, after Dara O'Shea's headed effort was seemingly tipped over the bar by the hand of Kings Lynn defender, Ryan Hawkins, only to be missed by the officials.

In a hard fought match with a total of eight bookings, as always it was the goals that made the real difference, the first of which came from a corner that reached the head of Ryan Fryatt in the 58th minute.

It took just a further five minutes for the Linnets to double their lead, when a rattled Martin Horsell was beaten at his near post by a low driven effort from Toby Hilliard.

Peter Beadle’s men did hit the back of the net once, however, after 10 minutes, when Dara O’Shea recreated his goal against Gosport Borough a week prior, striking the ball cleanly from the edge of the box, only to find his assister offside.

Kings Lynn looked dangerous throughout the game, with their first real chance coming in the 19th minute when Michael Gash hit the post with his effort from a deep free kick.

Hereford’s first effort on goal came after a drilled pass from Pablo Haysham reached the feet of Mike Symons, who turned on the edge of the box and challenged keeper, Alex Street.

The Bulls did have the opportunities to clinch this six-pointer, Symons returning the favour and playing Haysham through, and a Keyon Reffell looping header hitting the bar were just two opportunities missed.

Tom Ward also played his part in ruining the home team’s chances when his last-ditch tackle on Symons stopped a certain goal in the 26th minute.

The visitors nearly broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time, when defender James Bowen got caught out up field, allowing Ryan Hawkins to be denied only by a wonder save from Martin Horsell and heroic defending from Jack Deaman.

Beadle’s men were still without top goal scorer, John Mills, and struggled to find the end product on chance after chance.

A poorly defended Kings Lynn corner allowed Ryan Fryatt the chance to take the lead when his far post header left the net bulging after 57 minutes.

With nothing but another missed Hereford opportunity in between the goals, Toby Hilliard watched his wide pop-shot double the lead for the Linnets just minutes later.

Frustrated and with time lacking, Beadle looked to the bench to rekindle the chance of a result, bringing on forwards John Mills, Lance Smith and Jamie Bird.

With the substitutes not proving the difference and a disappointing result for the home team, Hereford still remain in top position with a seven-point lead and a game in hand.  
 
Lineups
Hereford: Horsell, Oates (c), Bowen (Bird - 86'), Murphy, Deaman, O'Shea, Reffell, Richards (Smith - 68'), Myrie-Williams (Mills - 68'), Haysham, Symons.
Subs not used: Liburd, Puddy.

King's Lynn: Street, Norman, Tracy, Fryatt, Ward, Jarvis, Clunan (c), Hilliard, Gash, Hawkins (Parker - 83'), Lappin.
Subs not used: Frary, McQuaid, Pearson.