Southport manager Neil Danns has hailed his side picking up three points at Edgar Street to lift them off the foot of the National League North table.
It's now seven points out of the last nine for the Sandgrounders and Danns, who made nearly 600 senior appearances for clubs including Crystal Palace, Bolton Wanderers and Bury, thought his side were absolutely outstanding against Hereford.
Having taken the lead through a stunning corner from Danny Lloyd whuch sailed straight into the back of the net in the 29th minute, the visitors were reduced to 10 men seven minutes later as Callum Edwards picked up his second yellow for a push on Lewis Hudson. Despite losing a man, Jordan Slew got the better of Aaron Skinner in first half stoppage time and slotted low past Theo Richardson.
"We said at half time, it's going to take a gigantic effort to come away from here with three points," he told Southport's YouTube channel after the game.
"I said 'but the feeling you'll get after that when you stick together' and what I witnessed in that second half was a squad, not just the players on the pitch, a squad and a staff that were all in it together.
"That's what pleased me the most."H
He added: "You don't come to these places and get three points easy and especially in the position that we've been in, it's been been a fantastic result and one I'm really proud of.
After a disappointing start to the season, Danns has admitted that while he wants his side to play football, he wants them to be "horrible to play against and that's been one of our mantras".
Into the second half, Southport defended deeply and often had 10 men behind the ball to thwart Hereford's attempts to get back in the game and end their run of five games without a win.
Frequent fouls frustrated the hosts and ripped shirts for centre-backs Kyle Howkins and Matt Preston may go some way to showing how difficult Southport were to play against.
"I think testament to lads and the shape and that, when we did go down to 10 men, we were still a threat, especially in that first half," Danns, 42, added.
"Obviously in the second half as you go later in the game, the lads have been running and running and running, you're normally going to end up dropping deeper, but when they did drop deep, they were absolutely outstanding.
"They were throwing the bodies on the line and I think you've seen at the end there the clearance off the line. Chris [Renshaw] has made some great saves today. I think you gain more from these victories, you don't just gain the three points. I think the lads gain a sense of togetherness and willingness to battle for each other, to demand off each other, and that was all evident today."
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