FFS. How have we not won this?? It was a frustrating 90 minutes, to say the least.
I have completed the Ashton away double this season. In fact, I have not seen Hereford win away from home since the trip to Curzon in August. I was hoping this visit might reverse this bok.
I usually have a slight snarl on my face when in Manchester as a Liverpool ‘glory hunter’ (I realise I could lose some readers over this). I’m a lot more relaxed these days though. However, there are painful reminders left, right and centre as to why we haven’t won the holy grail and probably won’t again this season!! I certainly don’t want bad reminders as a Hereford fan too. I actually don’t dislike Manchester as a City though.
It is becoming a familiar trip from London Euston into Manchester Piccadilly this season. I said to myself I wasn’t going to get too smashed for this one. I went with a different tactic of vodka, going back to the glory days some would say but it’s a drink that I know where I am at with. Unless I drink too much of course. The trouble is I will insist on getting doubles, so by the end of this trip, I was ‘wavy’.
It’s a further treck out from the Ashton-Under-Lyne Metro to United’s ground than it was to Curzon’s. I didn’t want to mess about so I ended up getting an Uber down to the ground. I think google had it down as a 50-minute walk. Fuck that!
The club was spot on when I got there, I saw the club bar on arrival but it was 2.50pm, so thought I’d get in the ground. There was no segregation at Hurst Cross. After going through the turnstiles we were told we could go back and get a drink and just show the tickets on the way back through. Before kick-off, there was a minute silence for the chairman of their fan association, who has passed away. A tribute that featured releasing red and white balloons also happened during the minute.
During the match, it wasn’t like Ashton didn’t have chances, they had a very good one at the end of the first half but we could nearly have been out of sight by then. Yes, we probably should have had a penalty but we created more than enough for that to not have been an issue. Symo didn’t connect properly when 6 yards out and Owen-Evans headed over from not much further out, a few half chances also went begging and their keeper (on loan from Burnley) looked their best player.
In the second half, we continued to put ourselves in great positions, with McMahon, their keeper making either a smart stop or we simply did not work him enough. Roberts had an impact when he came on again, I think he should be starting a lot more if I am honest. It became frustratingly obvious that it wasn’t going to happen for us and our lack of a 20 goal plus a season striker rubs it in. I just hope we don’t pay for not winning these kinds of games come the end of the season.
I had a quick drink or two in the club bar after to contemplate things and then a quick-fire uber straight to Piccadilly, which meant I was back in Euston by 8.30 and home by 9.30pm, touch.
Looking forward to FC United away now, should be a good day out that one.
Al Davies
The Gubbage and the Glory! 