Our next match from the Video Vault involves the Bulls in a Coca-Cola Cup Second Round, 1st leg tie at Middlesbrough which took place on 18th September 1996.
Hereford had sent Cambridge United packing 4-1 on aggregate in the 1st round of the competition, with goals from Dean Smith 2 (1 pen), David Norton and Adrian Foster but landed an amazingly difficult prospect in round two – Middlesbrough, who were then riding high in the Premier League, managed by Bryan Robson.
Famous stars shine right through the ‘Boro line-up with Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli leading the line. Indeed, he helped himself to four goals in this rout. All seven goals were in fact scored by full internationals, with Brazilians Branco and Emerson, and Irishman Curtis Fleming also on target,
“We found a team of excellent players right at the top of their form, and they gave us a lesson in the art of football,” said Bulls boss Graham Turner at the final whistle. Indeed, Boro’ were a different class and ran United ragged after the first 20 minutes. Gareth Stoker and Chris Hargreaves stood out for Hereford, but the gap in quality was staggering.
Hereford: de Bont, Pitman, Sutton, Smith, Brough, Townsend, Mahon, Stoker, Foster A, Foster I, Hargreaves. Sub: Cook..
Middlesbrough: Miller, Fleming, Branco, Vickers, Whyte, Emerson, Whelan, Mustoe, Stamp, Juninho, Ravanelli. Subs: Moore, Hendrie.
Attendance: 17,136
In the second-leg at Edgar Street, Middlesbrough rested numerous players but still ran out comfortable 3-0 victors, so Hereford lost 0-10 on aggregate – the worst drubbing United had in 25 years in the Football League Cup.