2022-23 FA Cup: First Round – Hereford vs Portsmouth

Sixth-tier Hereford look to spring a giant killing against League One’s Portsmouth at Edgar Street in First Round of 2022-23 FA Cup. 

Victory would see Hereford qualify for the Second Round for only the second time since they formed as a phoenix club, following Hereford United’s winding up in December 2014.

Two-time former winners, Portsmouth meanwhile are looking to advance to the Second Round for a fifth consecutive season.

 

Team News

Kane Thompson-Sommers could be available for Hereford following his recovery from an unspecified injury.

Thierry Latty-Fairweather and Zak Lilly are both ruled out with unspecified injuries.

Portsmouth could have Clark Robertson available after he missed Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against AFC Wimbledon in Football League Trophy, due to illness.

Tom Lowery, Marlon Pack and Michael Jacobs (all hamstring) are doubts with Danny Cowley unwilling to risk any unfit players here.

Harry Jewitt-White and Dan Gifford are cup-tied after the pair featured in Qualifying Rounds for Gosport and Weymouth respectively.

Joe Rafferty (stomach), Jayden Reid (knee) and Louis Thompson (leg) remain absent.

 

Stat Attack

• Hereford are playing Portsmouth for the very first time in all competitions, although the Pompey has previously played Hereford’s precedessor – Hereford United in 10 previous meetings.
• Portsmouth are playing Hereford at Edgar Street for the first time but previouly avoided defeat in three of four previous visits to Edgar Street against Hereford Utd in all competitions (W2, D1, L1).
• Portsmouth have kept clean sheets in three of their four previous visits to Edgar Street across all competitions, only failing to do so in a 3-2 League Cup defeat in August 1983.
• All six of Hereford’s goals in Qualifying Rounds were scored after half-time.
• Portsmouth are looking to extend their run of avoiding First Round exits to five consecutive seasons, having last lost at this stage in 2017-18 season.

 

Prediction

Over 50 years since their precedessor – Hereford United’s stunning cupset against Newcastle, Hereford FC now have a chance to create their own history at Edgar Street but their biggest task has to be to play the game and not the occasion.

This week’s passing of Ronnie Radford who scored in Utd’s iconic win though is bound to put further emphasis on the ‘occasion’ element, because there surely will be desire to fight for victory in tribute to him but they are dealing with strong League One opposition here.

Portsmouth meanwhile are in the League One promotion hunt so it is easy to assume that their priorities lie elsewhere, yet they have a manager in Danny Cowley and player in Sean Raggett who know how to produce cupsets but now will be looking to avoid being on the receiving end of a cupset themselves.

Hereford therefore must just simply go for it as underdogs and try to play their best football but I just can’t see Portsmouth losing this if they don’t underestimate their hosts.

Prediction: Hereford 0-2 Portsmouth

Result: Hereford 1-3 Portsmouth