Sam Cummins watched last night's HFA County Cup game at Edgar Street.
Hereford FC 4-2 Littleton FC in the Zzoomm HFA County Challenge Cup 1st Round.
Goals scored by Jack Tolley from the penalty spot, Riley Bevan (x2) and Harley Hamilton with his first goal for the club on his debut.
A brilliant comeback win by the Bulls on Wednesday evening sees them progress into the hat for the 2nd Round of the ZZoomm HFA County Challenge Cup.
The starting line up for Hereford was Ollie Lewis in goal, Kayode Sahabi and Jack McGowan as wing backs with Archie Warner, Keenan Quansah and Harry Metcalfe in a back three. Preston Bitemo, Jack Tolley and new signing Harley Hamilton in a three man midfield with George Matravers and Riley Bevan up front.
On the bench were Josh Mills, Toby Harrison, Milo Corbett, Davyd Antoniuk and Ethan Secker-Howe.
The first chance of the cup tie came from the visitors with a shot from the left hand side of the box by Sean Brian, nephew of ex-Hereford player Simon Brain, which was pushed out for a corner by goalkeeper Ollie Lewis. Hereford’s first chance of the game was a corner on the left which was taken by Jack Tolley but was headed clear by Littleton’s Nathan Vale.
Littleton then had two chances when Zak Gibbons firstly played the ball to Alex Rae who's right footed shot was saved by Lewis before Gibbons had a effort of his own with his left foot from the right hand side of the box which was pushed out for a corner by Lewis.
The visitors next chance came from a corner on the right which was whipped into the box by Brian and found Gavin Podmore who's header was headed clear off the line by Archie Warner.
Their pressure resulted in the visitors taking the lead midway through the half when new signing Harley Hamilton brought down Sam Biddle for a penalty, Littleton captain Kirk Layton stepped up and sent Lewis the wrong way and slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
From the restart the Bulls went on the attack looking for an equaliser. George Matravers had a right footed shot from the edge of the box which was saved by Littleton goalkeeper Toby Wilcox before he played in Riley Bevan through on goal but his right footed shot was saved by Wilcox.
Matravers was then replaced by Ethan Secker-Howe after he picked up a knock before Hereford were awarded a penalty of their own to get back on level terms when Ben Adler brought down Jack Tolley inside the box, Tolley stepped up for the resulting spot kick and made no mistake with a right footed shot into the top right hand corner of the net.
Hereford kept up the pressure for the rest of the half firstly having a free kick on the left hand side of the box which was taken by Hamilton but was easily saved by Wilcox before Tolley was very unfortunate not to give the Bulls the lead into the break when he had a thunderous right footed shot from the edge of the box which rattled the crossbar.
Into the second half and Hereford took the lead for the first time in the cup tie early in the half when Kayode Sahabi played a good ball into Bevan who curled a right footed shot into the top right hand corner of the net.
They grabbed a third shortly afterwards with Tolley putting a good ball over the top finding Hamilton who slotted the ball past Wilcock to get his first goal for the club on his debut.
Tolley then had a right footed shot which was saved by Wilcox but he could only push the ball out into the path of Bevan but he dragged his left footed shot wide. Littleton’s first opportunities of the half both came from Zak Gibbons when he had a shot which went over the bar before he had another effort which was well saved by Lewis.
Hereford then went back on the attack with a nest move when Hamilton played the ball into Bevan on the right hand edge of the box who squared it across the box to Secker-Howe who saw his side foot shot from close range saved by Wilcox. Preston Bitemo then had a right footed shot which went just wide of the right hand post.
Littleton thought that they had then pulled a goal back when Gibbons had a right footed shot which was pushed out inside the box by Lewis where Rae tapped the ball into the net but was adjudged to have been offside.
Hereford then got a fourth goal which was the pick of the bunch when Harrison played the ball from the right into the feet of Bevan who shifted the ball onto his left foot before curling it into the top left hand corner of the net.
Littleton rounded out the scoring with another great goal when they we're awarded a free kick on the edge of the box in a central position, Sean Brain drilling a right footed effort into the top right hand corner of the net giving Lewis no chance but that was the final piece of action and Hereford we're fully deserving of their victory to progress into the ZZoomm HFA County Challenge Cup 2nd Round.
It's back to Enterprise National League North action with the visit of Curzon Ashton to the MandM Edgar Street Stadium on Saturday.