Hereford FC put in an excellent first half performance to ease past Frome Town 3-0 in the Southern League Premier. After a promising start from the hosts, it was instead the visitors who took the lead through Garyn Preen's spilt shot. John Mills added a superbly took second before Keyon Reffell tapped in a third just before the break. 531 fans were present at the Special Effect Stadium as Hereford move up to fourth.
After the two nil away win on the weekend, there was one change to the starting line up. Mike Symons fell to the bench with Lance Smith replacing him up top.
Frome had a couple of early opportunities as they began brightly; a flicked header from an curling left-foot free-kick fell off-target, and an ambitious 40 yard free-kick narrowly missing Martyn Horsell's cross-bar before Hereford began to get hold of the ball and stamp their mark on the game. It took until midway point of the first half for the visitors to register their first shot on target but it was the one that opened the scoring. A deep cross from the byline by Calvin Dinsley was only cleared as far as Preen and after evading one challenge, he cut back and unleashed a hopeful 20 yard shot goalwards which appeared to be bread and butter for the 'keeper but on the slippery surface, the ball squirmed under him and over the line.
The home side reacted well with a dangerous run by their right-winger saw him burst away from challenges from James Bowen and Ryan Green, but a left-foot shot was easily gathered by Horsell at his near-post. In the 35th minute, Hereford doubled their advantage courtesy of the ever reliable Mills. Dinsley battled well in the middle of the park to win the ball after an aerial challenge and he lofted a first-time pass over the head of the centre-half where Mills was waiting to expertly direct a full-volley in off the post from just inside the box.
Five minutes later and Hereford were three to the good, this time Reffell netting. Bowen's zipped pass found Preen on the left, who left his marker for dead before crossing low into the six yard area where Reffell got his foot to the ball to touch home.
Preen and Reffell then had half-chances to add a fourth at the end of the first period were off target with right-footed efforts.
With a 3-0 advantage at the break, Hereford could be forgiven for taking their foot off the gas in the second period, with the final 45 minutes fairly routine. Mills tried his luck with another volley this time after Preen had chipped a pass into his path but he was a foot wide of the post. Various subs were made by both teams, with Hereford introducing Symons, Adam Page and Jack Deaman, in place of Smith, Preen and Reffell respectively. Deaman's first touch, or lack of it, nearly cost Hereford a goal as the home side's own sub had a shot in on goal but he could only fire at Horsell.
A free-kick by Frome's number 7 was held by Horsell, before Hereford's Dara O'Shea looked to be caught by an elbow in an off the ball incident. A mini fracas broke out on the pitch in the aftermath, with the eventual decision a yellow card for Frome's 14 and Jimmy Oates. In the final moments, Oates roamed forward and slipped in Page, but the Cheltenham loanee took too long to compose himself and his eventual shot was deflected behind for a corner from a promising position.
It was an encouraging performance by the ever-growing in confidence Hereford, at a Frome side who have started the season well. There's a nice balance to the Bulls' line-up at present, with the defensive line looking settled and plenty of pace in the final third. There were a number of good performances this evening; both Preen and Reffell were adventurous, constantly causing problems for the home side's full-backs and grabbing a goal each, but my man of the match goes to young O'Shea, who at the tender age of 18, won every header against his man, and was excellent in possession throughout.
Next up for Hereford is the visit of AFC Hornchurch in the FA Cup third qualifying round in what promises to be a tough proposition for Peter Beadle's men.
Hereford: Horsell, Oates, O'Shea, Green, Bowen, Reffell (Deaman), Dinsley, McGrath, Preen (Page), Smith (Symons), Mills.
Subs not used: Harris, Purdie.
Attendance: 531
Final Score: Frome Town 0-3 Hereford FC
Goalscorers: Preen, Mills, Reffell.