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Harborough Town v Hereford FC in the Enterprise National League North.
After claiming back-to-back wins the Bulls travelled to Leicestershire for a first ever visit to the Harborough Town Community Football Ground to take on newly promoted Harborough Town.
Vice-captain Kam Kandola was back with the captains armband following his three-match suspension along with Cawley Cox who came into the starting line-up. Keziah Martin and Preston Bitemo we're both amongst the substitutes.
The Bees had Ex-Bull Sam Osborne who started but former Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest forward Brit Assombalonga wasn't involved. They we're also protecting an impressive home league record having not suffered defeat on home turf since loosing 2-1 to St Ives Town in April 2025 at the end of 2024/25 season.
The Bulls started on the front foot after 4 minutes with a shot on the edge of the box on right by Joseph James which fizzed high over the crossbar.
A stoppage in play after 8 minutes when Riley O’Sullivan and Will Merrett had a coming together which resulted in the Bulls centre-half having his shirt ripped followed by a short outage of the floodlights.
Cawley Cox had a low drive from inside the box which was straight into the arms of Harborough goalkeeper Elliott Taylor.
There was a mix-up at the back between Rory Mcauley and Taylor which gifted the ball straight to Harrison Iwunze who laid off to Cox and with the keeper out of his goal shot goalwards but Alex Morris scrambled back in the nick of time to clear off the line.
Iwunze did well inside the box battling with Taylor, the ball bounced around before landing to Harry Tustin who's well placed effort was tipped over the crossbar by the fingertips of Taylor.
With 17 minutes on the clock Devon Kelly-Evans had the first chance for the Bees but shanked his effort high over the crossbar from the edge of the box before winger Callum Powell had a go from a tight angle which was comfortable for Theo Richardson diving low to his right.
Harborough we're then awarded a debatable free-kick on the edge of the box in a dangerous position after a coming together between Merrett and O’Sullivan resulting in the Forest Green loanee being booked. Former Bull Sam Osborne curled towards the bottom-right corner only to be denied by Richardson at full-stretch.
Luke Spokes picked up a loose ball trying his luck 25-yards out only to drag his right foot shot wide of the left post.
Hereford had controlled the majority of the first-half play but we're unable to find a breakthrough, limiting Harborough to minimal but the scores we're level at the interval.
Half-time: Harborough Town 0-0 Hereford FC
Hereford started the second period the brighter with a Cox ball laid off to Spokes who's shot took a deflection off Mcauley and looped into the arms of the Harborough shot stopper despite pressure from the onrushing Cox before O’Sullivan had a snapshot on the turn which was collected by Richardson.
5 minutes after the restart the deadlock was broken, Morris misplaced his clearance allowing Iwunze to nip in before rifling past Taylor to get his third goal in two games and sixth for the club.
The lead was almost doubled from a corner on the right which Spokes delivered towards the penalty spot where from 5-yards out James agonisingly kneed over.
Since the goal Hereford had kept the pressure up and deservedly doubled the lead on 64 minutes, Phillips did well driving towards the edge of the box. Cox picked up the ball before being tackled by George Carline the loose ball rolled back into the path of Phillips who poked it onto Cox before the striker superbly curled into the bottom-right corner.
Big chance for the hosts to reduce the arrears after the ball pinballed around inside the box, Richardson pulled off a great save from point blank range to deny O’Sullivan before it landed to Mcauley who dragging his left foot effort millimeters wide of the right post.
A melee then ensued after Mcauley clattered into Richardson on the edge of the box, during the altercations Kandola appeared to be pushed in the face by O’Sullivan inside the goalmouth but nothing was surprising given against the Harborough man. Referee Brandon Scaife booked both Mcauley and Richardson for the fracas.
Neat passage of play between Spokes and Iwunze on the edge of the box allowed the latter to get a shot on target but was straight at Taylor.
Shortly afterwards a scare for the Bulls when substitute Dempsey Arlott-Allen was through and with Richardson beaten the winger's shot crashed off the crossbar.
Harborough corner was floated in by Eliot Putman towards the back stick which Morris managed to get his head to directing the ball into the ground and over.
The Bees rattled the woodwork for a second time after Jordan Williamson lost the ball in a dangerous area on the edge of the box to Arlott-Allen before the winger rattled the outside of the right post.
In the 5th minute of 7 added on the Bulls wrapped up the win when Keziah Martin won the ball off Pitman on the right, before playing upto Spokes who played across to Danny Waldron with the substitute sweeping into the bottom-left corner.
Full-time: Harborough Town 0-3 Hereford FC
Goals scored by Harrison Iwunze, Cawley Cox and Danny Waldron.
Hereford FC Starting XI:- 1 Theo Richardson, 2 Aaron Skinner, 4 Kam Kandola ©️, 5 Will Merrett, 8 Harry Tustin, 9 Cawley Cox, 14 Luke Spokes, 17 Joseph James, 19 Harrison Iwunze, 23 Billy Phillips, 28 Kyle Howkins.
Substitutes:- 7 Keziah Martin, 10 Danny Waldron, 15 Jordan Williamson, 18 Liam Roberts, 20 Preston Bitemo, 21 Ollie Lewis, 24 Jack Tolley.
Three wins on the bounce and a statement victory inflicting the first home league defeat on the Bees in 17 months to send the Bulls top of the Enterprise National League North.
Attendance 1069 (312 away)
Next up for Hereford is the visit of South Shields to the MandM Edgar Street Stadium. COYW
Words: Sam Cummins