Match report: Hereford stunned by 10-man Southport in another afternoon to forget

Harley Hamilton's scrappy goal was little more than a consolation

Hereford have failed to take a single point against the league's bottom two sides as they fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Southport.

Last week, Hereford looked at the table and saw their next games were against Oxford City in 23rd and rock bottom Southport - but pressure is growing on Bulls boss Paul Caddis after a 3-0 and a 2-1 defeat, respectively.

Hereford failed to capitalise when they were on top in the opening stages of the game and after going 2-0 down by half time, courtesy of a sublime Danny Lloyd corner going straight past Theo Richardson and Jordan Slew beating his man and finding the back of the net, 10-man Southport defended deeply and kept Hereford at bay.

With Lawson D'Ath and Aaron Skinner in for Michael Parker and Charlie Cooper, Hereford started brightly at an Edgar Street bathed in autumnal sun. Playing quick, passing football, two early shots for Sam Osborne and Remaye Campbell in Hereford's 4-4-2 formation tested visiting keeper Chris Renshaw.

Any early pressure on the Bulls' defence seemed ably absorbed, apart from a free kick where Hudson failed to efficiently mark Jordan Slew whose cross evaded blue shirts. As the game settled and became more scrappy, plagued by fouls and free kicks, Southport popped up with a spell of danger. It culminated in Richardson hacking the ball clear ahead of Crewe Alexandra loanee Adrien Thibaut amid calls for a penalty as the pair clashed. With Richardson hobbling, Preston instead tried to clear a ball forward instead of playing it back to his keeper, but Lewis Hudson was able to rescue him as Thibaut's rash challenge earned him a yellow.

As Southport - who beat Buxton 2-1 midweek - upped the ante, Howkins, who had two shirts ripped in the first half, blocked a viscous shot, Gus Mafuta made his way into the referee's notebook and Southport were awarded their first corner of the game. In what was a freak goal on 29 minutes, Danny Lloyd’s inswinging corner from the right curled straight into Richardson’s net to the disbelief of Hereford's squad.

Now on the backfoot against the basement side, Hereford needed to react. Despite some earlier half chances for Remaye Campbell, Renshaw wasn't being properly tested - and that trend continued. With a free kick conceded by the already booked Mafuta, resulting in a lengthy lecture from referee Brandon Scaife, Ted Leville unleashed a shot which took a deflection and whistled wide with Richardson at full stretch to his right.

As Southport found themselves down to 10 men with Callum Edwards picking up two yellows in three minutes - the first for a cynical foul and the second for a push on Hudson as he tried to take a throw-in quickly, a quick shuffle of the pack saw Danny Lloyd replaced by Dylan Dwyer.

Caught on the break in the first of four minutes added on, Jordan Slew managed to outpace Aaron Skinner on the left and cooly slot the ball past Richardson to double the visitors' lead.

Half time: Hereford 0 - Southport 2

Into the second half, Preston, who had been donning a ripped shirt, was replaced by Michael Parker and Mafuta, on a yellow, made way for Charlie Cooper. Early on, Osborne’s cross-cum-shot was inches too far ahead of the onrushing Sterling-James but Hereford struggled to created meaningful chances despite a sustained period of pressure. 

With a roll of the dice as Andy Williams replaced a largely ineffective Solihull Moors loanee Callum MacFarlane, not particularly impressive in his first home start, there was a decent chance for Hereford to reduce the deficit. As Hudson tried to drill the ball in from the left of the box only to be denied by the keeper's feet, the half-clearance fell to D’Ath outside the area. But as the Meadow End watched on in hope rather than expectation, his audacious curling effort couldn't squeeze in at the far post. 

 
With Southport defending heavily and often having 10 men inside the 18-yard box, it proved a big challenge for Hereford to test the keeper. While two Omari Sterling-James free kicks from the right put the visitors under pressure, the ball never fell kindly to be converted into a much-needed goal.

With Richardson saving a Mo Touray shot from range and, in front of the Meadow End, a clearance off the line during a goalmouth scramble denying the host's a goal, the clock kept ticking if Hereford wanted to get anything from the game.

With Eno Nto, Harley Hamilton and Andy Williams now on the pitch, a consolation goal did come in the 85th minute as Hamilton's effort pinged around in a congested penalty spot and made it over the line.

But it wasn't enough to salvage Hereford who, despite some late pressure including another mad goalmouth scramble 

and Theo Richardson going up for a late corner, it was another afternoon to forget for the 2,597 Hereford fans inside Edgar Street.

Full time: Hereford 1 - Southport 2

Attendance: 2,638 (41 away)

Sponsors' man of the match: Omari Sterling-James

As boos were heard at the final whistle and as players thanked the supporters, today's game was a must-win and Hereford failed. All too often they are not capitalising when on top, conceding first and their attacking force not effective enough to cancel out a defence which is being found out and leaking goals. You could say leadership is missing on the pitch, but the real answers to Hereford's woes seem more complicated.

In short, pressure is building on Caddis to produce improved results. While true that sometimes Hereford do look a side capable of playing football, they are not a side currently able to win them. Southport, a poor side in reality as the table proves, looked good this afternoon and if Hereford want to get their season back on track, it must start against high-flying Macclesfield at home on Tuesday. A big ask when while there is fight and endeavour, quality and intelligence are lacking.

Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Howkins, Preston (Parker 46), Hudson (Nto 70), Mafuta (Cooper 46), D'Ath (Hamilton 70), Sterling-James, Campbell, Osborne, McFarlane (Williams 56).

Subs not used: Quansah, Edwards.

Southport: Renshaw; Edwards, Moore, Keane, Minihan; Lloyd (Dwyer 40, Tabone 90+5), Griffiths, Lavelle, Slew (Murphy-Worrell 62, Pickles 90); Hilton, Thibaut (Touray 56).

Subs not used: McMillan, Tabone, Simms.