WORCESTER RAIDERS v HEREFORD LADS CLUB: MATCH PREVIEW...

Worcester Raiders v Hereford Lads Club

Saturday, May 6th 2017

Match Preview…

THE LADS' HOME...

Champions Hereford Lads Club travel north to be entertained by Worcester Raiders this weekend knowing that to avenge a 0-3 home defeat earlier in the season would be a satisfactory end to their fine league campaign. Goals by Martin Newman, Nick Macpherson and Rich Smith saw Worcester raid Widemarsh Common on November 12th and escape with three points but with no goals conceded either…  

WHEN THE RAIDERS BEAT THE LADS...

The Raiders need a point from this encounter to finish third in the West Midlands Regional League 1, which would edge out Newport Town into fourth place. Certainly it will be a tough proposition for the hosts, for the Lads’ record is fine…

26 wins from 29 league games is a stunning return by Hereford, just 2 defeats and a draw completing the set and thus amassing 79 points from 87 so far. Their goal difference in league games is a splendid plus 89… 

Their last five league matches, including the Easter period of course saw them draw 1-1 at Wrens Nest, then win two of three home games. A 6-0 drubbing of Darlaston Town was followed by an unlikely loss to lowly Kington Town but things returned to normal with a 3-0 victory over Bromyard Town, before a 1-5 win at Tipton Town has set them up for the season’s finale.

Their overall away record this term has been 14 wins from 16 matches, drawing 1 and losing 1 but with the 62 goals scored and the 20 conceded, their goal difference of 42 on the road is superb. An overall average of almost 4 goals per game scored away from home is remarkable… 

Overall top goalscorer Dan Herbert has notched 27, followed by Tom Harding with 23 and Rory Worthing with 15…

TOP SCORER DAN HERBERT...

TIM HARDING: 23 GOALS THIS SEASON...

Unfortunately, Southern League Hereford FC beat them 3-0 in the Herefordshire Challenge Cup on May Day…

Worcester Raiders have won 18 of their 29 league matches, drawing 4 and losing 7, with a more subdued goal difference of plus 22. The points total of 58 has maybe disappointed the club a little…

CLAINES LANE...

After winning the Worcestershire Junior Cup, 1-0 v Midland League Montpellier, the team’s fortunes sank like a sandbag: a 4-1 defeat at Team Dudley, which I saw, then a 4-0 loss at St Martin’s and also 3-0 defeat at Old Wulfrunians, were followed by a 3-5 home defeat at the hands of Wrens Nest, although a number of Raider players were absent on that day, I have been informed. I saw the 2-1 home victory over league runners-up Wednesfield though, before the Raiders beat Darlaston Town at Claines Lane and then drew 2-2 with visitors FC Stafford. 

WORCESTER PREPARE TO MEET WEDNESFIELD...

CAUTION FOR BUTTERWORTH...

Their overall home record this season has been good however: 12 wins from 16 outings, drawing 2 and losing 2, with a goals ratio of 54 to 28. This gives them an average of just over 3 goals scored per home game…

Top goalscorer Nick Macpherson has netted 17, Martin Newman has 16 and Rich Smith has notched 12.

MACPHERSON HAS JUST OPENED THE SCORING v WEDNESFIELD...

This game should be a fitting end of season duel with both teams having something tangible to play for…