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| Jason Cowley headed home Hereford's second goal of the afternoon |
For the visit of the National League North strugglers, Bulls boss Paul Caddis rung the changes - making five from the team that lost 2-0 to Oxford City midweek.
Among the changes was the welcome return of Jason Cowley, sidelined for months through injury and missing Tuesday night due to illness, but back with a vengeance - scoring one and creating one of Hereford's four goals. Substitutes Andy Williams, who must have one of the highest goals per minute ratio in the division, and Mark Derricott then netted to cement the win.
It took just 30 seconds for the Bulls to open the scoring where, after an aimless ball forward for Marine saw the home side in possession, Jason Cowley was the creator. The dogged forward battled against two defenders, laying the ball off to Cosmos Matwasa - replacing Alex Babos - who then spread out to Ryan Bartley on the right. The Derby County loanee then made no mistake as he unleashed a drilled effort from outside the box, nestling in the far corner of teenager keeper Matthew Corran's net.
Buoyed by the early goal which would have settled any early nerves, Hereford continued to pose a threat going forward. Lewis Hudson was on hand to stab the ball away from the feet of Enock Lusiama in the box and with Kyle Howkins hacking the ball clear, the Bulls calmly and efficiently defended the two resulting throws. From the second, Yusifu Ceesay played a pin-point cross-field ball to Matwasa, knocking it on for Jason Cowley. As he tried to chase the ball down, a Corran miles off his line was able to just beat the forward to the ball.
With Adam Rooney, another of the five changes as he replaced Ty Deacon who has returned to parent club Tamworth, just failing to connect with a Matwasa tee-up in the 14th minute, just two minutes later Hereford would double their lead. A Lawson D'Ath corner, much improved from an earlier one which failed to beat the first man, was delivered superbly from the left to the back post, dropping for Jason Cowley to smash home with a header. Credit must be given to Yusifu Ceesay for chasing down a long ball down the left and winning the corner, something possible today as his defensive responsibilities were reduced with a more standard-looking back four.
Ryan Bartley, having a solid game already at right-back and threatening down the wing, then nearly claimed his second as Cowley and Matwasa combined in the build-up, but saw his shot go wide after taking a deflection off defender Matty Waters. For Marine, their first real chance of the game failed to test newbie Bulls keeper Tom Donaghy - on loan from Fleetwood Town - as James Brown's spirited run into the box then saw Matty Waters scoop over from point-blank range.
Before the end of the half, Lewis Hudson, already the victim of two late changes which saw bookings for Marine, created a chance for Jason Cowley but he couldn't bag his second as after controlling the ball he saw his effort deflected.
Half time: Hereford 2 - Marine 0
With Hereford in control and Marine changing things up slightly by replacing Matty Waters with Charley Doyle, they just look to absorb any early danger from the visitors. But the first real chance of the half came for Cowley in the 51st minute, seeing Corran flap at, and deny, a header from Matwasa's cross.
While, at the other end of Edgar Street, Finlay Sinclair-Smith's chance was partially blocked by Bartley and then saved by Donaghy, the majority of the second half saw Hereford comfortable in possession and more than capable of dealing with Marine's limited attacking threat. As well as Sinclair-Smith trying to create chances, there was also Owen Robinson trying to reduce the deficit but goal-worthy shots were rarely there.
Gregson could only find the side-netting and not trouble Donaghy, drafted in to replace Aaron Chapman who has been struggling with a hernia, and a central Sinclair-Smith free kick was well-over the bar.
With Alex Babos, Ahkeem Rose and Andy Williams now on for Rooney, Ceesay and Cowley, Willo all but bagged the three points for Hereford in the 77th minute, just two minutes after coming on. Willo saw an initial effort deflected wide, shooting on the turn on the edge of the box after being picked out, he did get his name on scoresheet from the corner as he rose highest to head home Babos's ball.
As well as two more chances from Willo, fellow substitute Rose could have also netted before the end of the game, curling an effort wide of the post from a Hudson cross, but into the four minutes of added time, Hereford would make it four. In what would have been a bid to run down the clock and break any momentum for Marine, Paul Caddis introduced Mark Derricott for Kyle Howkins - but he proved to be a worthwhile sub. In a crowded box, a beautiful corner from D'Ath was headed over the line by Derricott, with the young defender admitting after the match it "could be criminal to claim that but who cares".
Full time: Hereford 4 - Marine 0
Attendance: 2,724 (88 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Jason Cowley
All in all, Hereford supporters couldn't have asked for more today after the Chester and Oxford defeats. The team bounced back, and bounced back really well, and every player put in a solid shift to secure a valuable three points. Having Jason Cowley, and his usual work-rate and aggression, back really boosted Hereford, but every player played their part in a convincing win.
Hereford: Donaghy, Hudson, Preston, Howkins (Derricott 93'), Bartley, Teixeira, D'Ath, Matwasa (Williams 76'), Rooney (Babos 72'), Ceesay (Rose 74'), Cowley
Sub not used: Horton
Marine: Matthews, Waters (Doyle 46'), Doyle, Gregson (Holmes 80'), Robinson, Lusiama, Montgomery (Whelan 80'), Atcheson, Sinclair-Smith (Thomas 80'), Mattock, Brown
Sub not used: Butler