Hereford must get our respect says Ronnie Moore

Jan 4 2008 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE will be housing Bulls supporters in the Cowshed Stand tomorrow.

They can be less certain about putting Hereford United in their place in the FA Cup.

Manager Ronnie Moore acknowledges the third round tie in Prenton Park is anything but a straightforward exercise in herding lower division opposition to the exit gate from the competition.

Hereford currently stand second in the League Two table and bring an outstanding away record to their first visit to the Wirral in close to 20 years.

Moore said: “We would love to get through to the fourth round but there is a difficult 90 minutes in the way. Hereford are as good as any side I have seen this season. They have won 11 league and cup games away from home, including beating Leeds at Elland Road in the last round.

“We’ve got to give them a lot of respect.

“It will be a day to make our home advantage tell because there could be a massive reward for us at the end of the afternoon.”

Hereford will be bringing more than 1,200 supporters to Prenton Park and, like Tranmere, boast a history of proud achievements in the FA Cup.

Manager Graham Turner is a Merseysider, from Ellesmere Port, with a management track record that stretches back to the late 1970s.

Turner, chairman and manager at Edgar Street, is willing to turn his hand to any task, no matter how menial, to keep the club ticking over. Moore is a longstanding acquaintance and admirer.

He said: “Graham and I have had many battles over the years and what he has done at Hereford is simply magnificent. He runs it, he owns it. The only thing he does not do there is the washing-up.

“This season he has put together a good team and we’ll be trying like mad to beat them.”

Moore insists confidence in his own side was not shaken by a 4-3 defeat at Crewe on New Year’s Day.

He said: “Performance wise we played as well as we have done for some time. But when you concede four goals from set plays, you are in trouble.

“It was a surprise because defending has been our forte this season. With players like Ian Goodison, Antony Kay, Ben Chorley and Shane Sherriff, we should not be getting caught out with people being given free headers in our box.

“We would like to think it was a blip.”

Defensive marking at free kicks and corners was high on the agenda in Tranmere’s training session yesterday.

Moore, anticipating that Ian Goodison will be handed a three match suspension for his dismissal at Crewe, is ready to draft Chorley into the heart of the back four alongside Kay. He is also waiting on a calf strain threatening to keep at winger Jennison Myrie-Williams out of the action.

The manager is looking for the kind of discipline that helped Tranmere post victories in their last three League One games at Prenton Park, conceding just one goal in the process.

Reports provided by Tranmere chief scout David Philpotts show Hereford’s line-up is much changed from the side of last season, in which Rovers midfielder Steve Jennings was a temporary recruit.

Moore believes Tranmere are now enjoying the benefits of Jennings’ 11-game loan spell with the Bulls.

He said: “Hereford changed the squad around since Steve was with them a year ago. But I do feel Steve’s time there made him a better player.

“It opened his eyes a bit about what it is like on the other side of the fence. He came back and forced his way into our side.”

Moore added: “That’s why I have this gripe about players who are reluctant to go out on loan from bigger clubs and learn their trade in the lower divisions.

“The more managers send players out to gain experience, the better those players will become.”