A Jordan Murphy goal on the stroke of Half Time and a Louis Monaghan header with just over ten to go was enough to see off a battling Hereford side who you could argue deserved more.

It was a quiet opening to the affair, but the away side started the strongest with a number of crosses including from a corner and free kick was dealt well by Raiders in the first fifteen.


Jordan Murphy would have the first major chance to open the scoring as the clock hit the twenty second minute mark. He raced down on Bell before rounding him and on the angle finding the inside of the post before another effort in the follow up also found it’s way onto the post.

Lads Club started to grow back into the game as the half wore on and a corner was cleared well off the line by Young on the fourty first minute as half time loomed.

There was almost an element of controversy two minutes later Timmins was down injured for Raiders behind the goal leaving them down to ten temporarily, but the referee carried on only for Young to collect well from a Hockey effort on the edge of the area.

Raiders would go on, however, to take the lead just as the clock hit the halfway mark. Jordan Murphy found himself in the right place at the right time as the ball bounced around falling to his feet to finish past a helpless Bell in the Hereford net and sending Raiders into a Half Time lead.

It would be the away side that would start the second half the better of the two sides as Young dealt with a number of dangerous crosses.

Hereford Lads Club had their best chance of the game so far on the fifty eighth mark as Timmins was booked for a challenge and from the resulting freekick on the edge of the area Godsall had his effort on goal parried well by Young down to his left.

The away side really should have had their equaliser by the seventieth minute, but several dangerous crosses and corners were dealt with and one saw the ball just sail past the post inches from the post much to Raiders relief.

With just eleven minutes until time the home side were able to breathe, an inch perfect corner found itself onto the head of Louis Monaghan to head into the bottom right corner and put an end to any nerves.

Raiders really should have made it three in added time as substitute Silva drifted past his man following good feet in the area following a short corner only to find the side netting.

Raiders will now look to take this momentum into a big local derby at Home to Malvern Town next Tuesday 27th December where a large crowd is expected.

Words by Dan Harper.