Rowan Liburd was on form for Hereford on Saturday afternoon as he scored twice to earn his side a share of the spoils against a strong Stockport team.
The Bulls trailed 2-0 at the break thanks to goals from Adam Thomas and Nyal Bell, but Liburd's goal in the 64th minute gave Hereford some hope. It was then a injury time equaliser to earned Hereford a point, as Liburd bundled the ball home from an Tom Owen-Evans cross.
An early chance for Adam Thomas for the visiting side sailed into a well-populated and vocal Meadow End, but he was given an alarmingly long time in the box to turn and get a shot away.
Despite a chance for home debutant Rowan Liburd, who drilled a half-volley wide after the ball was played into the middle by Kyle Finn, the traffic was mainly one-way during the first 20 minutes of the tie.
There were chances for Scott Duxbury, Adam Thomas and Jordan Keane, but none really tested Derby County loanee Matt Yates between the sticks for the Bulls.
The pressure continued, but Yates was also able to confidently deal with a number of a corners that came his way, rising to pluck them out of the air to deny anyone a chance in front of goal.
Mike Symons was then booked for a foul on Dan Cowan, Hereford had been showing their intentions from the off with Danny Greenslade, Keiran Thomas and Josh Gowling all getting talking.
The best chance of the half came midway through when a Cowan cross was redirected towards the far-post by Nyal Bell. With the shot well out of the reach of Yates, Tom Owen-Evans raced into the goalmouth to clear the ball off the line.
While that chance should've been a wake-up call for Hereford, it wasn't. Two goals in a minute for County followed as they continue their dominant performance. In the 27th minute Dan Cowan cross rom the right was headed down by Darren Stephenson to leave Adam Thomas with the task of stabbing the ball past Yates.
Moments later it went from bad to worse for the Ball as Nyal Bell doubled Stockport's lead. This time a Stephenson cross was drilled home by the 22-year-old.
Stockport still had the majority of possession for the remainder of the half, but some good hold-up play by Mike Symons and Rowan Liburd gave other Bulls players the chance to offer their support. Symons sent Greenslade on his way down the left wing before his cross flashed across the face of goal, inches ahead of the onrushing Finn.
On the stroke of half time another cross from Greenslade was swung into the box but it was easy enough to claim but 'keeper Ben Hinchcliffe in yards of space.
Half time: Hereford 0 - Stockport County 2
A double change at the start of the second half did initially appear to liven Hereford up a little bit. The introduction of James Waite and Eliot Richards in place of Jak Hickman and Kyle Finn led to a goalworthy chance for Tom Owen-Evans minutes after the restart. Waite teed up the former Falkirk man, but he saw his shot take a deflection with his valiant effort going wide of the upright for a fruitless corner.
A couple of good saves by Yates kept Hereford's hopes alive, first tipping a cross away from the onrushing Elliot Osbourne, before punching the resulting corner clear. Yates once again thwarted Osbourne's goalscoring hopes by denying his shot moments later.
But then the Bulls sprung into action for the remainder of the game and looked slightly more attacking-minded than they had in the first half.
A long-throw from Jordan Cullinane-Liburd caused confusion in County's defence, with Rowan Liburd getting on the end of the loose ball to slot it home.
The two half time substitutes both went close to adding a second to pull Hereford back level, but weren't able to. First, Eliot Richards' powerful strike was met with a decent save by 'keeper Hinchcliffe, before James Waite couldn't grab a goal after a one-on-one chance with the keeper.
After linking up well with Liburd, Waite was through-on goal but his low show took a deflection off the sprawling Hinchcliffe. Two defenders then rushed back to clear in front of an unguarded net to prevent the ball trickling across.
Mike Symons was fouled 35-yards out leading to a promising-looking free kick for the hosts. Danny Greenslade's delivery into the box looked good, but the 'keeper did well under pressure to punch clear.
A tense final few minutes at Edgar Street, especially with Chorley being pegged back meaning Stockport would've gone top with a win, Hereford didn't appear phased.
In the third minute of added time Tom Owen-Evans' grit and determination to create something paid off, he tried to shoot from an acute angle on the edge of the box but it was Rowan Liburd who got the final touch to send his side into raptures.
With just moments left until full time, neither side could find a winning goal.
Full time: Hereford 2 - Stockport County 2
Attendance: 3,025 (571 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Rowan Liburd
A tense final few minutes at Edgar Street, especially with Chorley being pegged back meaning Stockport would've gone top with a win, Hereford didn't appear phased.
In the third minute of added time Tom Owen-Evans' grit and determination to create something paid off, he tried to shoot from an acute angle on the edge of the box but it was Rowan Liburd who got the final touch to send his side into raptures.
With just moments left until full time, neither side could find a winning goal.
Full time: Hereford 2 - Stockport County 2
Attendance: 3,025 (571 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Rowan Liburd
Hereford: Yates, Hickman (Richards 46'), Greenslade, Thomas🔶, Cullinane-Liburd, Gowling (c), Wharton (O'Sullivan 77'), Owen-Evans, Liburd⚽️⚽️, Finn (Waite 46'), Symons🔶.
Subs not used: Ezewele, Hill.
Stockport County: Hinchcliffe, Cowan, Duxbury, Keane, Palmer (c), Stott, Thomas⚽️, Walker (Turnbull 87'), Bell⚽️(Mulhern 68'), Osbourne, Stephenson (Warburton 67').
Subs not used: Minihan, Ormson.