Will Thornton’s header earns 1-0 victory for Scarborough Athletic at home to play-off hopefuls Hereford
An impressive 1-0 win against promotion hopefuls Hereford saw Boro carry on where they left off against Needham Market, playing some excellent football, creating a number of good chances, and also defending superbly throughout.
There were three changes from the win against Needhham, skipper Will Thornton, Jack Waldron and Dom Tear replacing Kieran Weledji, Michael Duckworth and the injured Luca Colville in the starting 11, while ex-Boro favourite Kieran Glynn came on from the bench for Hereford, writes Steve Adamson.
Yousifu Ceesay fired into the chest of Boro keeper Ryan Whitley, and Mackenzie Maltby tackled Jaiden White as he raced into the box, before Boro created the first real chance on 14 minutes, when a Waldron cross was headed inches over by Richie Bennett, then Harry Green and Alex Brown combined to set up a chance for Alex Wiles, who sliced his shot narrowly wide.
Boro opened the scoring in the 28th minute when an Alex Purver corner from the left, found Thornton at the back post, and he guided his downward header past keeper Theo Richardson.
Hereford tried to fight back, but the Boro back line was excellent, with centre-back duo Thornton and Maltby dominant in the air, and Waldron and Brown winning all the tackles.
A shot from Lewis Hudson was blocked by Maltby, and Purver did well to dispossess Ceesay as he dribbled into the box. Boro went close when Bennett hooked the ball forward to Green, who beat his marker and fired just over, then a 25-yarder from Green was deflected wide by Matt Preston, and Tear laid off to Sam Reed, who fired into the side-netting.
It was mostly one-way towards the Hereford goal after the break, Brown flashed the ball across the goalmouth, but Tear just failed to get a touch, then a brilliant through-ball from Bennett sent Tear clear, but keeper Richardson rushed out to save at his feet.
A fierce Bennett shot was well saved by the keeper and a Reed cross dipped onto the roof of the net. In Hereford attacks, Thornton tackled Remaye Campbell as he was about to shoot and a White cross was headed over by Remaye Campbell.
Boro created further chances, a Purver free-kick was headed at the keeper by Bennett, Preston tackled Brown as he burst into the area, a Bennett shot was blocked by Tate Campbell, and a Purver corner was cleared towards Waldron, whose powerful low shot forced a good save from Richardson. Reed fed Green, whose jinking run ended with a ball towards Bennett in the area, but he fired wide.
Hereford had late chances to snatch a point, Maltby blocked a Hudson shot and Whitley made two top saves, tipping over a dipping volley from Lawson D’Ath, and also diving to push away a shot from Jason Cowley, as he secured his 48th Boro clean sheet.
BORO - Whitley, Waldron (Duckworth 75), Brown, Maltby, Thornton(c), Purver, Reed, Tear (Walker 75), Bennett, Wiles, Green (Mulhern 85) unused subs- Weledji, Marshall
HEREFORD - Richardson, Skinner, Hudson(c), Preston, Andoh (T.Campbell 18), Babos, White (Cowley 70), Ceesay (Williams 70), Mitchell (D’Ath 70), McGlynn (Glynn 55), R.Campbell
REFEREE - Harry Jones
GOAL - Will Thornton 28
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 13 (5 on target) HEREFORD 7 (3 on target)
CORNERS - BORO 3 HEREFORD 5
OFFSIDES - BORO 3 HEREFORD 2
YELLOW CARDS - Alex Wiles, Jack Waldron, Richie Bennett (Boro), Lewis Hudson, Matt Preston, Jaiden White (Hereford)
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown
ATTENDANCE - 1,432 (94 away)