For our latest archive article, BN looks back to Christmas 1994 when Hereford United were 21st in Division Three as it was known in those days.
On a cold, wet and windy Boxing Day they travelled to Mansfield and suffered one of their heaviest ever defeats.
Mansfield Town 7 Hereford United 1 (report compiled from the Chad and other sources)
Mansfield battered Hereford United into a Boxing Day submission with seven of the best. The Stags led by a single goal from O'Neil Donaldson at the break with little hint of what was to come.
But they went 2-0 up just after half-time in bizarre fashion and then the floodgates opened up with four goals in six minutes as Hereford fell apart.
Ian Barraclough launched a 47th minute free kick from over 45 yards that, with the wing behind it, flew past a startled Tony Pennock into the top left hand corner.
Pennock had already had one let-off after the break after almost slicing a backpass into the net.
Within 60 seconds, the Stags scored their third with Stewart Hadley sweeping the ball home from 10 yards.
Then Donaldson showed good awareness and a cool finish to lob Pennock from 25 yards after shrugging off Dean Smith.
Lee Howard made it 5-0 after heading home Kevin Noteman's corner on 53 minutes.
However Hereford pulled one back on the hour.
The Stags keeper, Darren Ward, had left the pitch after a collision with Phil Preedy and replacement Jason Trinder's first touch was to pick the ball from the net after Neil Lyne had teed up Richard Wilkins to strike an unstoppable 20 yard shot into the top left-hand corner.
That was Hereford's only shot on target all afternoon as Mansfield gave them a harsh lesson at finishing.
Ireland pounched on to Kevin Lloyd's poor backpass on 66 minutes to fire in off the far post to make it 6-1.
Steve Wilkinson scored the Stags seventh goal when he skipped away from a flat-footed Tony James.
Hereford had played some neat, enterprising football with the wind behind them in the first half and both Steve White and Nicky Cross came closs before Donaldson scored. White was also inches away from a cross-cum-shot from Wilkins.
But Hereford were a dejected bunch by the end. Manager John Layton, who had only been in charge for six weeks, later apologised to supporters for such an abysmal performance.
Hereford: Pennock, Llewellyn, Lloyd, Reece, Smith, James, Wilkins, Cross, White, Lyne, Preedy.
Subs: Pick, Pounder, MacKenzie.
(The following day the Bulls defeated Exeter 3-0 at Edgar Street)
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Monday, February 20, 2012
From the Archives - Stags put Seven past Bulls
Organic Bull