Hereford threw away a one goal lead to lose 2-1 at home to Curzon Ashton this afternoon, meaning they missed out on three valuable points against one of their fellow struggling sides in the league.
Danny Greenslade took the lead seven minutes into the second half as he struck the ball into the top corner of the net after an attempted clearance from Curzon Ashton fell nicely for him. But goals from Lewis Reilly and substitute Sean Miller saw them bag all three points.
Back in August Hereford made the trip up to Curzon Ashton and came away with the win thanks to a solitary goal from the now-departed striker Harry White. A lot has changed since Hereford's third league game of the season and they were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline today.
The Bulls had a couple of early corners to deal with, the first came after Jordan Cullinane-Liburd headed behind under pressure, but Mo Ali headed well-over the target. The second saw Hereford snub out any danger and regain possession.
Curzon were then unlucky not to have scored the opener as Oliver Cranksaw had a clear-sight on goal, but he slipped as he tried to connect with a well-placed ball from Ryan Brooke 18-yards out.
Marc Richards' side then started to grow into the game, with chances from Keiran Thomas, Tom Owen-Evans and Eliot Richards showing Hereford's intent. Jimmy Oates was on the search for his second goal of his loan spell. Danny Greenslade carried the ball down the left wing before crossing into the far post for Oates, but the Australian saw his headed effort blocked. Seconds later he tried his luck again, this time with a driven shot towards the left-hand side of the target, but again he saw his effort blocked.
Curzon Ashton hadn't really created anything since the opening ten minutes as the game was largely one-way traffic for the Whites, but Josh Gowling showed his experience in the 27th minute as he headed clear a good shot on goal from Brooke.
But as the game returned to Hereford's control, breaking the deadlock seemed a matter of when, not if. Visiting keeper Cameron Mason reacted quickly to push Eliot Richards' header onto the post, after a good cross into the box by Owen-Evans.
The chances kept on coming for hosts, with Tom Owen-Evans forcing the keeper into making a save to deny his shot from 12-yards. Mason pulled off another important save moments later to keep the score level as he parried Josh Gowling's effort. Despite the rebound falling nicely for Mike Symons to slot home, the offside was up against Hereford's target man.
Tommy O'Sullivan was also amongst the players testing the keeper, but his shot was straight at Mason who comfortably made the save.
A rare chance then came for the Nash, but they came inches away from taking the lead. A quick counterattack from Luke Wall left Cullinane-Liburd well-beaten but thankfully for the 2,000+ Bulls supporters the striker's rising shot beating the crossbar.
Half time: Hereford 0 - Curzon Ashton 0
After a first half that saw Hereford have the majority of possession without really testing the keeper on too many occasions, as a large share of the shots were straight at him.
The second half started off in the same fashion with plenty of possession, but in the 51st minute, Tom Owen-Evans was brought down as he tried to make progress towards goal. It was from the resulting free kick where Hereford took the lead, despite the set-piece failing to beat the first man. Danny Greenslade was able to intercept the attempted clearance and fire a shot into the top corner of the net from 25-yards.
Hereford had another couple of half-chances to extend their lead as Harvey Smith had an effort blocked by a defender after keeper Mason had failed to pick Tom Owen-Evans corner out of the air.
Mike Symons, like in the first half, had a goal ruled out as the linesman had his flag raised for offside when he tapped an Eliot Richards cross over the line.
But Hereford's lead was short-lived, conceding an equaliser just over ten minutes from breaking the deadlock. Bulls fans were left frustrated as the Nash managed to pull a goal back with what was only their second shot on target of the match. Substitute Reece Deakin had taken the ball to the by-line before lifting it over to Lewis Reilly waiting in front of goal. The striker, on loan from Crewe Alexandra for an initial month, did well to bring the ball down and slot it home, with Yates already beaten.
As the game entered the final ten minutes, a quick break from Hereford had fans in high expectations as Mike Symons threaded the ball through to George Lloyd, who'd come on in place of goalscorer Greenslade. Lloyd was left with the last defender to beat, but the experience Mo Ali was able to dispossess Lloyd and clear the danger.
Curzon had looked brighter in the second half compared to the first and were trying to hit Hereford on the break, and that's just what they did in the 86th minute to take the lead. It was Reece Deakin who latched onto the end of a long ball forward and was able to play it back to fellow substitute Sean Miller to volley past Yates.
Despite a couple of chances for both sides in the dying stages of the game, they were never going to have any bearing on the scoreline and it turned out to be a disappointing afternoon.
Full time: Hereford 1 - Curzon Ashton 2
Attendance: 2,081 (48 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Danny Greenslade
Hereford: Yates, Thomas (Roberts 84'), Greenslade🔶 (Lloyd 69'), Cullinane-Liburd, H. Smith, Gowling (c), O'Sullivan, Owen-Evans, Richards, Oates, Symons (Finn 83').
Subs not used: Waite, Wharton.
Curzon Ashton: Mason, Thornley, McJannet, Hunt (c), Ali, Rowney (Deakin 61'), Crankshaw, Earing (McAtee 61'), Reilly, Brooke, Wall.
Subs not used: Merrill, Miller, Shenton.