Hereford United lost their eighth game out of the last nine with a 2-1 home defeat against fellow strugglers Brighton and Hove Albion. The defeat leaves The Bulls 11 points from safety with just six games to play. Tommy Fraser opened the scoring in the first-half with a neat flick before Lloyd Owusu doubled their advantage with a cool finish in the second. Kris Taylor scored a consolation goal in added time after Steve Guinan had missed a penalty in front of just 2,033 at Edgar Street, including a decent away following of 279.
Despite the 4-2 defeat at Hartlepool on Saturday, just one change was made with Peter Gulacsi returning to keep goal instead of Jose Veiga. The visitors named a strong looking team with Adam Virgo providing the experience whilst United's back-line wouldn't have been happy to see Owusu lining up for the visitors; the big striker literally battered the Bulls' back-line when playing for Cheltenham in February.
The first half was dominated by Brighton in what was a shabby performance from the hosts. The tricky Dean Cox collected a pass inside the box but failed to hit the target with a right-foot shot. The attacking midfielder, who looked to have a free-role throughout, went close with an audacious yet clever effort from 40 yards. Cox had spotted Gulacsi off his line and attempted a dipping half-volley which was only a few feet over. Brighton took the lead in just the 9th minute when a deep cross into the box wasn't dealt with by Karl Broadhurst as Owusu pressured him and it fell to Fraser who flicked past Gulacsi from close-range. The visitors continued to put pressure on the Hereford goal after the opener with a soft-free kick conceded by Toumani Diagouraga allowing Cox the chance to test Gulacsi, but the Hungarian made a good stop low to his left.
The White's only chance of the first-half fell to Guinan after Ben Smith had glanced a free-kick into the box but Guinan's header failed to trouble Michael Kuipers. Albion continued to press forward in search of the second with Tommy Elphick heading at Gulacsi after a corner whilst another corner soon after caused even more problems for Hereford. A corner from Cox was met by Elphick who saw his effort cleared off the line whilst a follow-up effort from Owusu was superbly blocked by Richard Rose. The set-pieces continued to cause a huge threat to United with Fraser heading just wide at the far post after a deep corner whilst towards the end of the half, an awful defensive pass from Richard Jackson was intercepted by Cox who switched to find Craig Davies; the Oldham loanee controlled in space inside the box and from the angle struck goalwards but his effort was well saved by Gulacsi.
At half-time, Stephen O'Leary replaced Jennison Myrie-Williams yet it was still Brighton who were the team who continually threatened. Cox hit a shot a long way over after a long-throw in found him whilst a cross from the right towards the back-post was met by Fraser who headed onto the roof of the net. United started to get a foothold on the game and a good run down the left by Febian Brandy allowed him to send a cross into the box and it broke to Smith, who sent a left foot swipe past the near post. Another strong run from a central position, this time from Marc Pugh, gave him the opportunity to strike with his right-foot but his shot was nearer the corner flag than the goal.
A superb long-range effort from Davies cannoned off the cross-bar after he hadn't been closed down whilst at the other end Brandy went close to an equaliser. A neat move involving a flick from Pugh and a run down the left by Smith saw the midfielder drill into the box where Brandy contolled before shooting just a yard past the far post with a right-foot shot. A powerful shot by Davies from the right channel was held by Gulacsi with ease before Russell Slade made two substitutions. Gary Hart and Adam El-Abd replaced Davies and Birchall respectively. O'Leary flashed a right-foot half volley past the far post after Guinan had won an aerial dual before Brighton scored a second. Owusu played a neat one-two with Hart in the attacking third and used his strength to shrug off a defensive challenge before sending a well-placed low shot past Gulacsi from 20 yards. The visitors' tails were up after that goal and another poor defensive pass from Jackson allowed Cox a chance to cut inside and a deflected shot looped just over the far post.
Gulacsi showed his quality as a goalkeeper when he made a fine save to deny Hart from close-range. Fraser showed good control to then pick out Hart inside the area with a cross and a header from 5 yards was tipped onto the bar by the Hungarian shot-stopper before Rose cleared the ball to safety. Matty Done and Simon Johnson came on for Pugh and Smith but they had little impact on the game as it drew to a close. In stoppage-time, there was some action for United fans to remember the game by though. Brandy controlled a pass inside the box and swivelled away from the challenging defender, who bought him down. A penalty was awarded and Guinan stepped up but his spot-kick was blocked by Kuipers; moments later though, the home support had something to cheer about when a long ball forward was headed down to Taylor who sent a powerfully controlled shot past Kuipers from 20 yards. To run the clock down, Kevin McLeod replaced Owusu and Brighton saw out the remaining seconds for a vital win.
It surely is the final dagger through Hereford's hearts as a gap of 11 points to overturn in 6 games in nigh on impossible. The Bulls played like a team who were already relegated with a series of mis-placed passes and a general lack of confidence amongst the team. There were very few positives to take this evening although Gulacsi again was impressive whilst Pugh showed some clever touches in the middle of the park. Next up for Hereford is the visit of league leaders Leicester City on Saturday.
Hereford: Gulacsi, Jackson, Rose, Broadhurst, Taylor, Myrie-Williams, Diagouraga, Smith, Pugh, Guinan, Brandy.
Subs: Veiga, Gwynne, Johnson, O'Leary, Done.
Brighton: Kuipers, Whing, Virgo, Elphick, Borrowdale, Birchall, Cox, Dicker, Fraser, Owusu, Davies.
Subs: Sullivan, Loft, Hart, Ed-Abd, McLeod.