User:Pascopedral/2021–22 Hereford F.C. season

The 2021–22 season was the seventh season in the existence of Hereford Football Club and their fourth consecutive in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football. In addition to the league, the club also competed in the FA Cup and the FA Trophy. It was the first fully completed season since 2018–19 after the previous two were curtailed and declared null and void respectively due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pre-season
Following the disappointment of defeat in the 2021 FA Trophy final against Hornchurch, Hereford went into the off-season with two players confirmed for the forthcoming season; Luke Haines, having agreed to join permanently after his loan spell, and Tom Owen-Evans. Paul White, Chris Camwell, Samir Nabi, Dylan Jones and Michael Bakare were all released and a large number of players were offered new deals. Leaving the club were Kyle Finn, who joined Halesowen Town after three seasons at the club, Jamie Grimes, who joined National League club Chesterfield, James McQuilkin, who joined Stourbridge and Kennedy Digie, following Grimes to the National League with Altrincham.

Hereford's first signing of the summer was Mitch Hancox from National League club Solihull Moors. The Bulls also added Inverness Caledonian Thistle duo Miles Storey and James Vincent to their squad, whilst Ryan McLean joined permanently from Newcastle Town after impressing on loan last season.

The club played eight pre-season friendlies between 13 July and 7 August, winning only two of them. These wins came in the opener away to local rivals Westfields, winning 3–1, and 4–1 in the penultimate fixture away to Hednesford Town. Hereford also entertained League One clubs Shrewsbury Town and Cheltenham Town at Edgar Street, losing both, 2–1 against the former and a heavy 8–1 defeat against the latter.

August
Hereford began the season poorly, failing to win at all during the first month, including both home games. The season opened with a 1–0 home defeat by Farsley Celtic in front of 2,108 fans. Striker Joey Butlin missed a penalty that would have provided an equaliser, before departing the club the following day.

The first away game of the season followed the Farsley defeat, Hereford earning a point with a 1–1 draw against Bradford (Park Avenue), George Forsyth putting Hereford a goal up in the first half. This was followed by a second consecutive home defeat, this time by AFC Fylde, losing 4–1 in which Storey scored his first goal for the club.

Hereford bolstered their squad throughout the month, Welsh youth international midfielder Harry Pinchard joined, along with forward Zeli Ismail. Dutch defender Patrick Fini also joined from GVVV, as well as Barbados international defender and former Football League player Krystian Pearce from Boreham Wood, although Pearce wasn't to make his debut until 18 September. Eastleigh striker Dan Smith was brought in on loan initially for a month.

August ended with a 0–0 draw away to AFC Telford United, leaving the club nineteenth after four league matches.

September
September began with a third straight home defeat, 2–0 against Spennymoor Town courtesy of a Glen Taylor brace, which put them second bottom of the league. Hereford then did not play until 18 September, the York City away fixture on 11 September postponed due to a COVID-19 incident, in which they travelled to Lymington Town of the Southern Football League Division One South in the FA Cup second qualifying round. Lymington earned a 2–2 draw and a replay three days later at Edgar Street, in which Hereford ran out comfortable 4–0 winners to progress to the next round.

The following Saturday Hereford earned their first home point of the season, a 1–1 draw with Leamington in which Dan Smith equalised in the eighty-ninth minute, although coming into the match the club found themselves at the foot of the table, occupying the sole relegation position and this point was not enough to pull them off it. This result however was swiftly followed by their first league win of the season in the re-scheduled fixture against eventual play-off winners York City 1–0 away from home, Owen-Evans scoring 12 minutes from time to secure three points. The month ended with Hereford having pulled away from the bottom of the league and into fifteenth.

Three further loan signings were made in September; Levi Andoh (Ipswich Town), Ollie Hulbert (Bristol Rovers) and Reiss McNally (Solihull Moors).

October
The Bulls played three league matches during October, all away from home and failed to pick up a win. The first match of the month on 2 October however was a 2–0 win at Isthmian League Premier Division club Merstham in the FA Cup third qualifying round, Owen-Evans and Pinchard scoring either side of half-time to see them through. A week later it was back to league action as an away trip to Darlington ended 1–0 to the home side.

Hereford then faced Solihull Moors on 16 October in the FA Cup fourth and final qualifying round, losing 1–0 at Edgar Street to a seventy-eighth minute Danny Newton goal. A HFA County Challenge Cup first round tie against Bromyard Town followed their cup exit, Hereford winning 3–0.

A 3–3 draw with Alfreton Town on 23 October provided their only league point of the month, Haines scoring a ninetieth minute equaliser. The Bulls' next fixture was at Edgar Street against Kettering Town, but was postponed due to COVID-19 cases in the visitors' squad. The final league game of October saw Hereford visit Boston United, but Jordan Burrow and a ninetieth minute Shane Byrne penalty earned the Lincolnshire side a 2–0 win. No wins and a solitary point left Hereford second-bottom in twenty-first.

Two forwards were signed during October. Firstly former loanee Victor Sodeinde returned to the club, whilst Gambian Pa Sulay Njie also joined. Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Jordan Wright was signed on loan to provide competition and cover for Brandon Hall, before Mitch Hancox joined divisional rivals York City on loan at the end of the month.

November
After a winless October, November saw Hereford win all 5 of their league fixtures, beginning with a 1–0 home win over Chorley, Storey bagging his fourth league goal of the campaign thus far. A week later and Guiseley were the hosts, Hereford winning 2–0 via Ryan Lloyd and McLean.

Three consecutive home league wins then followed, firstly another 2–0 this time against Blyth Spartans, after which Chester visited and Haines' wonder-goal after 71 minutes secured a 1–0 win. November rounded out with a 3–0 win over Kettering Town in the re-scheduled fixture from the previous month, Owen-Evans tripling his league tally for the season and Jaanai Gordon, brought in from Stratford Town on 16 November, netting his first for the Bulls. Hereford ended November in a much-improved position of ninth.

Sandwiched between the final two league games of the month was a 5–3 penalty shoot-out exit in the FA Trophy second round at the hands of league rivals Kidderminster Harriers, with the match finishing 1–1 after 90 minutes. Smith missed Hereford's penalty as Harriers scored 5/5.

December
December saw just two fixtures played, both in the league. First up was a trip to Southport on 4 December with the home side running out 2–0 winners. Curzon Ashton then visited Edgar Street and earned a point with a 2–2 draw, after Gordon and Owen-Evans had firstly equalised and then put the Bulls in front. The entire festive period saw no action as postponements struck all three scheduled matches due to positive COVID-19 cases in the Hereford squad. Hereford ended 2021 in fifteenth with 23 points.

January
January saw six fixtures played, including rearranged fixtures previously postponed. Hereford had an even split of three wins and three draws, beginning with a 1–0 defeat at Brackley Town with Krystian Pearce receiving his first of two red cards he would be shown during the season.

Two home games followed which saw 2–0 results, the first of which being a defeat to eventual league champions Gateshead. Hereford then defeated Kidderminster Harriers on a foggy Tuesday evening, avenging their FA Trophy exit earlier in the season thanks to Gordon and Owen-Evans combining once more to grab both goals.

The Bulls then visited Farsley Celtic on 22 January, securing their biggest league win of the season and equalling their 4–0 result against Merstham in the FA Cup back in October. Hereford scored twice in second half injury time, new loan signing Momodou Touray scoring the fourth on debut. A third victory on the bounce came with a hard-fought 2–1 win over Gloucester City, Gordon and Owen-Evans again scoring.

The final match in January saw an entertaining albeit frustrating match for Hereford, going down 3–2 at Chorley. Hereford led from the fourteenth minute through Gordon, but 3 goals in 11 second half minutes turned the game around for Chorley before Storey grabbed an eighty-ninth minute second to reduce the deficit. Hereford ended January back in ninth.

January proved a busy month in terms of transfers and loans as Hereford brought in eight players, five on loan, and saw four leave, two out on loan.

February
February told a very similar story to January; six fixtures, three wins and three defeats, starting with back-to-back home wins over Boston United (2–1) and Guiseley (2–0). Afghan forward Maziar Kouhyar celebrated his return from long-term injury by scoring both goals in the Guiseley win.

Hereford then travelled to Aggborough to face Kidderminster Harriers on 15 February, but in the space of just twelve first half minutes, lost Pearce to his second red card of the season and conceded three goals, ultimately losing 3–0. The team bounced back the following Saturday by visiting Chester and winning 3–2, which lifted them into the play-offs for the first time this season.

Two straight defeats rounded out February however, firstly 3–0 away to Curzon Ashton, before hosting Southport and losing 1–0 to a forty-ninth minute Charlie Oliver penalty. February also saw striker Gordon leave after a week shy of three months and five goals to join Brackley Town. Hereford ended the month still seventh and occupying the final play-off position, though had played at least one more game than every team around them.

March
March saw an unbeaten month for the Bulls, although drew four of their five league fixtures, the sole win coming in the last league fixture of the month. Kouhyar scored in a 1–1 home draw with York City, a match in which the Minstermen were clearly impressed with the Afghan winger as they signed him later in the month. A further three draws followed, firstly 0–0 away to Leamington and then at home to Darlington in which Modou Faal, who joined on loan on 5 March, score his one and only goal for the club.

A Tuesday night trip to Kettering Town came next, Storey netting Hereford's goal in a 1–1 draw, before going off injured. The month ended positively with a 4–1 away win over Blyth Spartans at Croft Park; McLean, Owen-Evans (2) and Pinchard all scoring. Hereford picked up seven points and ended March in eighth.

The Bulls also reached the HFA County Challenge Cup final, defeating Hereford Pegasus 3–1 in the semi-final at Old School Lane.

April
April brought an end to Hereford's hopes of finishing in the play-off after four defeats from their six league fixtures. Two 2–1 defeats on the bounce kicked off the month, beginning at home to Alfreton Town before visiting AFC Fylde where Hereford conceded a ninety-fifth minute goal to return from Mill Farm empty handed.

Hereford then bounced back with a narrow 1–0 win over strugglers AFC Telford United on Good Friday, Owen-Evans getting the goal on the stroke of half-time. However, a trip to Gloucester City on Easter Monday resulted in a 1–0 defeat themselves, centre-back Jordon Thompson, who joined Hereford the following season, netting the winner in the second half.

An entertaining 3–2 home win over Bradford (Park Avenue) then followed, with Hereford three goals up at half-time. Ryan McLean scored on 45 minutes, before receiving a yellow card in first half injury time. He then received a second yellow and was sent off within the first minute of the second half, allowing Bradford back into the game, reducing the deficit to a single goal, but the home side held on for the win. April finished with a trip to Spennymoor Town, losing 1–0 thanks to Jordan Thewlis' sixty-seventh minute winner.

With two fixtures remaining, Hereford sat eleventh, five points off the play-offs. Between the Bradford win and the Spennymoor defeat, Edgar Street hosted the HFA County Challenge Cup final between Hereford and Hartpury University, with the Bulls losing 2–1 to the Herefordshire Football League Premier Division side.

May
May saw the final two league fixtures of the season played out, beginning with a 2–2 draw at home to Brackley Town. The visitors found themselves 2–0 to the good via a Jared Hodgkiss own goal inside two minutes, before Jaanai Gordon scored against his former club to double their lead. Hereford managed to secure a dramatic draw however, firstly through another Haines wonder-goal, followed by an eighty-ninth minute Hodgkiss equaliser, redeeming himself after the earlier own goal.

The final day of the season was a trip to league champions Gateshead. Unsurprisingly, Hereford came away from the Gateshead International Stadium without any points, thanks to a 2–1 defeat in which future Notts County record-breaking goalscorer Macauley Langstaff scored twice, with Aston Villa loanee Sebastian Revan, signed in January, pulling one back.

Hereford's season finished with the club in twelfth, their joint-highest finish in their short history, earning 55 points and seeing themselves eight points off the play-offs.

First-team squad

 * As of 7 May 2022

Matches
The league fixtures were announced on 7 July 2021, with the season starting on 14 August.

FA Cup
Hereford entered the competition in the second qualifying round.

FA Trophy
Hereford entered the competition in the second round.

Appearance and goals

 * The plus (+) symbol denotes an appearance as a substitute, hence 2+1 indicates two appearances in the starting XI and one appearance as a substitute

!colspan="12" style="text-align:center" | Players who left during the season but made an appearance


 * }