Saturday, November 16, 2002

SCOTT Green's last-gasp goal sent Hereford United crashing out of the FA Cup in heart-breaking fashion at the hands of Second Division leaders Wigan Athletic at Edgar Street on Saturday.

The Wigan midfielder's well-taken winner, just 20 seconds from the end of normal time, was an injustice on a spirited United side who revelled in front of the Sky TV cameras and could so easily have pulled off a major first-round upset.

Hereford dominated the opening half of a pulsating clash and the visitors needed an inspired display by goalkeeper John Filan, a controversial offside decision and the intervention of a post to prevent United from taking the lead.

Indeed, Hereford piled on the pressure in the first 10 minutes, in particular, and Filan made acrobatic saves from the lively Chukki Eribenne and Michael Rose before United thought they had broken the deadlock on 11 minutes.

A deep left-wing cross from Rose was coolly tucked in at the back post by the impressive Matt Clarke only for the assistant referee's belated flag to cut short the celebrations for off-side.

But Hereford will also rue their bad luck in the 33rd minute when Paul Parry skipped past three Latics defenders and cut inside before firing a right-foot shot which skimmed past the despairing dive of Filan but struck the inside of the far post.

Hereford had a confident penalty appeal turned down five minutes later when Steve Guinan was sent tumbling inside the box.

And on the stroke of half-time, Rose's driven free-kick cannoned off a Wigan defender but rolled agonisingly wide.

The Lancashire outfit rarely threatened in the opening half, although Tony Dinning flashed a shot wide in the first minute and Hereford goalkeeper Matt Baker saved well from Nathan Ellington.

The Second Division side improved after the interval and were denied an opener on the hour when striker Neil Roberts pounced on a header from skipper Jason De Vos only to be brilliantly foiled at point-blank range by Baker.

Man-of-the-match Tony James made a couple of important interceptions as Wigan threatened to sneak a winner before Green struck the cruel blow in the last minute.

The former Bolton Wanderers player collected a flick-on from Ellington, held off a challenge from Rose and turned neatly to drill an unstoppable low shot beyond Baker from close range.