A Harry Green hatrick swept Hereford aside as they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Scarborough, who jump above the Bulls in the table.
Losing Alex Babos to injury, and having Jason Cowley sent off late in the first half, made this defeat even more difficult to stomach.
The Bulls brought in Jordan Lyden to their starting eleven, as Andy Williams dropped to the bench. Scarborough handed a debut to new signing Dom McHale.
A cagey opening spell saw the first effort fall to Hereford when Tom Pugh’s chance was blocked, then at the other end, Alex Wiles’ low shot was stopped by Curtis Pond.
Pond was called into action again on 17 minutes, when his one-handed save kept out Aidan Rutledge’s attempt. Scarborough grew in confidence as Alex Babos was replaced, having picked up an injury, with Adam Livingstone coming on.
Despite the home side’s pressure, the Bulls attempted to threaten the Scarborough goal - but it was a counter-attack that led to the opening goal after 26 minutes. Goalkeeper Ryan Whitley’s long ball found Harry Green who shrugged off Tom Pugh, then chipped Pond from the edge of the box.
Seven minutes later, Scarborough defender Kieran Weledji picked up a yellow card for a foul as Hereford looked to find their way back into the game.
A couple of corners came to nothing, then Hereford were reduced to ten men. Jason Cowley pushed Scarborough defender Bailey Gooda in the area. Players surrounded the referee, as he produced a red card, with Cowley disappearing straight down the tunnel.
A man down in the dying stages of the first half, Hereford were forced to defend. A Green drive was tipped over by Pond. The Bulls ended the half without a recognised striker on the field.
There was no second half revival from Hereford. Yusifu Ceesay came close before being tackled by Weledji, while Curtis Pond was forced into several saves by the Scarborough attackers. But Pond could do nothing about Scarborough’s second goal. Green’s direct free kick wide on the left hand side swung over the defence and in at the far post, looping underneath the crossbar.
The Bulls made changes with Jack Tolley and later Mark Derricott coming on as substitutes for crucial game minutes, as Hereford had a better spell, but down to ten men and lacking a striker on the field, they had problems cutting through the Scarborough back line.
Then in added time, Nathan Cameron’s sliding foul on Dom Tear allowed the Scarborough forward to complete his hatrick from the penalty spot.
A bad day at the office for Paul Caddis’ side, who now face missing Cowley for three matches following his straight red card. Hereford chose not to bring on Andy Williams or Adam Rooney as attacking options, and never really looked like overturning the Seadogs’ lead in the second half of this match. Another worry was the early withdrawal of Alex Babos with a hamstring strain, a bright spark in the Bulls’ midfield this season, as Hereford drop to fifth in the table, leapfrogged by Scarborough.
Hereford: Pond, Skinner, Teixeira, Lyden (Tolley, 65), Downing (Derricott, 81), Ceesay, Babos (Livingstone, 21), Cowley, Pugh, Southern, Cameron. Unused subs: Williams, Rooney.
Scarborough: Whitley, Weledji, Thornton, Gooda, McHale (Durose, 81), Purver, Green, Colville, Wiles, Brown, Rutledge (Tear, 65). Unused subs: Cracknell, Qualter.
Attendance: 1,575