The wait of 35 days for Hereford fans to see their team back at Edgar Street ended with the home side beating Darlington 4-2, as the Bulls scored three goals in 11 minutes to turn the game around.
Darlington had a two goal lead going into half time as they capitalised on defensive errors from Hereford, but the Bulls scored four goals in the second half to extend the gap between themselves and the drop zone to nine points.
Unchanged from last weekend's trip to FC United of Manchester, the Bulls got the game underway attacking the Meadow End in the first half after losing the toss but forced an early corner.
Tom Owen-Evans won possession in the middle of the park before sending James Roberts on his way towards goal, but his shot took a deflection to go behind for a fruitless corner.
The Bulls started the game showing some grit and determination about their play, with Thomas being booked with just six minutes on the clock as he was penalised for a tackle on Simon Ainge.
Marc Richards' men went close to taking the lead inside ten minutes at Edgar Street following a Danny Greenslade free-kick, but his floated delivery went behind off William Smith. Tom Owen-Evans' corner eventually fell to Josh Gowling, but his ball across the face of goal was pumped clear before a Hereford player gambled.
Despite the Whites. looking the slightly brighter of the two sides during the opening stages, it was Darlington who broke the deadlock. Tom Elliott did well to bring the ball down to his feet just outside the area before picking his spot and firing past Matt Yates at full-stretch.
Not disheartened by the early goal, Hereford kept pushing for a goal in front of a vocal Meadow End. Mike Symons had a great chance to pull his side back level but after cutting into the box he couldn't keep his shot down as it skimmed the top of the crossbar.
James Roberts then had a chance to get his name on the scoresheet after he was teed up by Eliot Richards who'd done well to win possession close to the corner flag. But Roberts couldn't get a clean strike away as the keeper collected the effort.
As the half hour mark approached a terrible back-pass from Jordan Cullinane-Liburd was intercepted by Stephen Thompson who had plenty of time to get a shot away, but a goal line clearance from Danny Greenslade kept the deficit to just one goal.
Back in front of the Meadow End Eliot Richards continued to look bright despite the Bulls' defence switching off, and his shot in the 31st minute stung the palms of visiting keeper Jake Turner who got enough on the strike to keep it out of the back of his net.
Darlington scored a second in the 37th minute as Hereford created problems for themselves at the back, moments after miscommunication between centre-backs Jordan Cullinane-Liburd and captain Josh Gowling saw them go up for the same ball.
For the goal, it was the experienced Gowling who lost possession too easily to Wilson Kneeshaw, playing the ball back to Stephen Thompson to find the back of the net.
Chances up front kept coming for Richards, the first saw him turn a Tommy O'Sullivan cross towards the bottom corner of the net, only to be denied by the feet of the keeper. Moments later another chance for the Welshman came after Oates played the ball to his feet, but Richards' shot-on-the-turn proved an easy save for Turner.
Half time: Hereford 0 - Darlington 2
Given a first half performance where both goals conceded had come from individual errors, Hereford needed to use the next 45 minutes to put things right.
Four minutes after the restart a foul on Mike Symons on the edge of the area saw the Hereford player appearance for a penalty, but referee Michael Barlow rightly said the foul was outside the 18-yard box. Upstepped Danny Greenslande to take the resulting free kick, but he drilled the ball inches wide at the far-post.
A couple of half-chances followed for Hereford, but it was in the 58th minute they cut Darlington's lead to just one goal. A corner came back out to Keiran Thomas who made no mistake in firing low past Turner as the Bulls started their comeback.
Tom Owen-Evans almost equalised five minutes later after he burst through the middle of Darlo's defence, only for his shot to hit the topside of the crossbar.
But it was nine minutes after Thomas' goal that the second came. Kyle Finn, who'd come on to replace James Roberts, tried to pick out Mike Symons in the six-yard box, but the cross was met by a defender who put it past his own keeper.
Back on level terms, the Bulls continued to push and were rewarded when they took the lead in the 70th minute. It was Kyle Finn involved again when his cross was handled by a defender, with the referee giving the penalty. Owen-Evans was the man who stepped up in front of the dilapidated Blackfriars End and sent the keeper the wrong way as he netted the Bulls' third goal in 11 minutes.
Finn being introduced to the action changed the game, but the Quakers still caused problems for Hereford's back-line but they were largely dealt with efficiently. A last-gasp block denied Alex Henshall, before Cullinane-Liburd cleared Mitchell Glover's corner off the line.
Hereford supporters were given a boost ahead of kick off as Lance Smith was named on the bench as he returns to fitness following a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
It was fitting that he netted Hereford's fourth goal after coming on for Eliot Richards, stabbing the ball home after a good run by Danny Greenslade.
It was fitting that he netted Hereford's fourth goal after coming on for Eliot Richards, stabbing the ball home after a good run by Danny Greenslade.
Full time: Hereford 4 - Darlington 2
Attendance: 2,294 (175 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Jimmy Oates
Hereford: Yates, Oates, Greenslade, Thomas 🔶⚽️, Cullinane-Liburd 🔶, Gowling (c), O’Sullivan, Owen-Evans ⚽️, Richards (Smith 83' ⚽️) Roberts (Finn 59'), Symons.
Subs not used: Wesolowski, Wharton, Hill.
Darlington: Turner, Trotman, Galbraith, Elliott ⚽️, Ainge, Smith, Henshall, Palmer, Kneeshaw, Nicholson, Thompson ⚽️🔶.
Subs: Glover, Maddison, Lingthep, Kokolo, Saunders.