Hereford suffered an away league defeat for the first time since August 2015 last night. King’s Lynn Town ended their impressive 53 game run with a 3-2 win at The Walks.
The Bulls were without Ryan Green who picked up a knock in the 3-0 win against Banbury on the weekend, as Jack Deaman returned to the starting XI to partner Jordan Liburd in the heart of the defence. The only other change saw Mike Symons come in for Pablo Haysham who dropped to the bench.
On a chilly evening in Norfolk, there was some early pressure from the hosts as they threatened with a free kick, but as the ball was worked out to the right wing, Billy Murphy was on hand to clear Michael Gash’s low cross.
As the Bulls found their feet in the game, they soon started to look dangerous. In the seventh minute Keyon Reffell saw his shot from an acute angle tipped over by the keeper, but it was just a minute later when they took the lead.
As a powerful cross-come-shot from Jamie Bird was blocked, Jordan Liburd ran onto the end of the loose ball but saw his initial shot saved before burying the rebound.
The Whites’ next chance fell to John Mills, but after breaking into the box his shot from left of the area hit the upright before going out for a goal kick.
Despite a flurry of corners for King’s Lynn, Hereford were able to deal with them efficiently. After rising to catch the ball, Martin Horsell quickly released Keyon Reffell down the right, but he was tripped just past the halfway line. From the resulting free kick, the hosts sat deep and easily cleared the ball from a congested penalty area.
A decent save from Alex Street in the 27th minute denied Hereford doubling their lead. With John Mills clean through on goal, his low drive was saved by the feet of Alex Street.
At the other end of the pitch, Simon Lappin should have done better as he tried his luck from a free kick, but his shot from 35-yards went high and wide of Martin Horsell’s goal. Lappin then saw another shot go wayward before the break, after firing over from a Michael Clunan corner.
In first half stoppage time, John Mills doubled Hereford’s advantage. Billy Murphy’s long ball forward from a free kick caught the Linnets’ defence off-guard, and Mills was on hand to slide the ball home.
HT: King’s Lynn Town 0 - Hereford 2
The second half got off to a bad start as the Linnetts pulled a goal back four minutes after the restart. After making progress down the wing, right-back Cameron Norman crossed in to Michael Gash at the far-post who had the easy task of turning the ball home.
Lance Smith then came inches away from reestablishing his side’s two goal advantage. After Smith took advantage of a defensive error, his scuffed shot went wide from 12-yards.
In the 62nd minute Keyon Reffell tested the keeper with a powerful shot, but Street made a second save with his feet to deny the former Merthyr-man.
King’s Lynn fought back level with a goal from Ryan Hawkins in the 63rd minute. After Hawkins got the better of Cameron Pring, he then had little difficulty in finding the back of the net firing across Horsell - not a bad way to celebrate your birthday.
King’s Lynn’s Cameron King couldn’t continue after he picked up an ankle injury, being replaced by local lad Toby Hilliard.
The hosts kept up the pressure with Martin Horsell saving a number of efforts, including Tom Siddon’s shot being saved on the line in the 79th minute.
Keyon Reffell, who had looked bright down the right throughout the game, saw another viscous effort saved by the keeper. His right-footed effort from the edge of the area stung the hands of the goalkeeper, going behind for a fruitless corner.
Simon Lappin then smashed an effort against the post, after being set up by former Kidderminster Harriers striker Michael Gash his effort struck the base of the upright.
With the second half dominated by King’s Lynn, they completed the turnaround as Toby Hilliard netted the winner deep into stoppage time. With the ball pinging around the area, Ryan Hawkins managed to get enough on it to have a shot on goal, but Martin Horsell did well to parry it. Substitute Hilliard was quick to react and fired the ball fiercely into the back of the net to send the home side into raptures.
FT: King’s Lynn Town 3 - Hereford 2
Att: 1,181
King's Lynn: Street, Norman, Blake-Tracy, Frary (Parker - 58’), R Fryatt, Jarvis, Clunan, King (Hilliard - 72’), Gash, Hawkins and Lappin.
Subs not used: Siddons, Pearson, L Fryatt.
Hereford: Horsell, Oates, Deaman, Liburd, Pring (O'Shea - 80’), Smith, Murphy, Bird (Richards - 80’), Reffell, Mills, Symons.
Subs not used: Haysham, Preen, Puddy.
Next Game: Farnborough Away on Saturday 3rd February at 3pm