Hereford 5 - Hitchin Town 0

Lance Smith Scored A Hat-Trick For Hereford

As league action returned to Edgar Street yesterday with the visit of Hitchin, Hereford manager chose to hand starts to recent signings Tyrone Duffus and Cameron Pring, despite the pair yet to train with the squad. 20-year old Duffus started alongside Rob Purdie in midfield, with Pring starting at left-back as Jamie Bird dropped to the bench.

Hitchin got proceedings underway attacking the Meadow End in the first half, but couldn't create anything meaningful from a corner within the opening five minutes.

Down at the Blackfriars End, John Mills created a great chance for Keyon Reffell, but visiting keeper Michael Johnson did well to get enough on the shot to send it wide.

Two goalworthy chances followed for the Canaries, but neither Ben Walster's free kick or Jonny McNamara's low shot could get past Horsell in goal for the Bulls.

With the visitors looking the brighter of the two sides so far, that all changed when Tyrone Duffus opened the scoring in the 17th minute.

With a corner being put behind by a Hitchin defender, Garyn Preen once again delivered the ball into the box. Duffus was on hand at the near post, diving to powerfully head the ball past the keeper to score on his debut.

John Mills somehow didn't score goal number two with 30 minutes on the clock. Dara O'Shea made progress down the right, as he picked out Mills in the box with a low cross. Under little pressure, the 27-year blazed his right-footed shot over the bar.

Horsell continued to look strong in goal, snatching the ball from the feet of McNamara after he brought down a long ball.

A well-worked attack by Hereford then saw Tyrone Duffus grab his second goal of the game. Duffus intercepted Dan Webb's header on the halfway line, he quickly found Lance Smith ahead of him. After some neat passes, Keyon Reffell cross from the left was all-too-easily tapped home at the far post by the Cardiff City loanee.

Both sides had chances in the final five minutes of the half, but weren't able to capitalise on them. Firstly Ben Walster blazed a penalty hopelessly high and wide for Hitchin, before Garyn Preen saw his shot saved by the keeper after skipping past three defenders.

Hitchin Players Appeal For A Penalty

Lance Smith scored Hereford's third goal before the break, having little difficulty in finding the back of the net. With the keeper well off his line in an attempt to deny John Mills, he offloaded the ball to Smith who was easily able to slot home.

HT: Hereford 3 - Hitchin Town 0

An off-the-ball foul within the 18-yard box was picked up by referee Bradley Hall, who awarded the second penalty of the game. No other than John Mills stepped up, but the keeper did well to dive low down to his right to keep the marksman's spot kick out.

Three minutes after the restart Duffus came agonisingly close to completing his hat trick. His shot from point-blank range smashed against the underside of the crossbar, but with the ball failing to cross the goal line, Hitchin worked quickly to clear the danger.

Just shy of the hour mark, the Bulls further increased their lead as Lance Smith scored his second. With his back to goal, Smith was on hand to flick home Cameron Pring's free kick into the top left-hand corner of the net.

Lucas Kirkpatrick was booked for a foul on Duffus, but captain for the afternoon Jack Deaman couldn't quite get onto the end of Garyn Preen's free kick from the right.

The fifth goal of the afternoon then killed off any hopes of Hitchin salvaging a point as Lance Smith completed his hat trick. John Mills looked to try a shot from the right-hand side of the box, but with the ball looking to be going wide, Smith was well-placed to redirect the ball past the keeper.

The Canaries' best chance of the half came courtesy of Lucas Kirkpatrick in the 77th minute. After getting onto the end of a corner, his rising shot was kept out by the crossbar.

Hitchin finished the game with ten men as Callum Donnelly was dismissed after picking up two yellow cards in under ten minutes.

FT: Hereford 5 - Hitchin Town 0

Att: 2,104 with 17 in the away enclosure

Sponsors' MotM: Tyrone Duffus

Hereford: Horsell, O'Shea (Oates - 69'), Pring, Purdie, Green, Deaman (c), Preen (Bird - 78'), Duffus, Mills, Reffell (Page - 78'), Smith.

Subs not used: Symons, A. Harris.

Hitchin: Johnson, Rolfe, Walster, Dowie, Webb, Bickerstaff, Kirkpatrick, C. Donnelly, B. Donnelly, McNamara, Smith.

Subs: Vincent, Bailey, Green, Charles.

Next Game: St Ives Town at Home on Tuesday 21st November at 7.45pm

---