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| Remaye Cambell opened the scoring in first half stoppage time |
A 2-1 win over the youthful full-time outfit from Derbyshire means Hereford have now won five in a row - and eight of their last nine outings - to cement themselves in the top seven.
With the only change from Saturday's 2-0 win over Alfreton being Sammy Robinson starting in place of Tate Campbell, a late change to Paul Caddis's side, Hereford started the encounter full of the confidence you'd expect from a team in a rich vein of form with serious play-off hopes.
Inside the opening 10 minutes the Bulls had been causing problems for Buxton's defence without properly testing 19-year-old keeper True Grant, on loan from Manchester City. But it was Hereford's stopper Theo Richardson called into proper action first, pulling off a miraculous save to make-up for a fluffed kick. Way off his line, Richardson gifted possession to Cian Coleman who picked out Johnny Johnston - but the 21-year-old striker lacked nouse, dithering in front of an open goal and allowing Richardson sufficient time to race back and make a save at full stretch.
Proving a wake-up call, two minutes later an Alex Babos corner was met at the near post by Robinson - but his flicked header couldn't be picked out by a White shirt as Buxton hastily cleared. For Buxton, Ethan Fitzhugh got the better of Hereford's midfield, sometimes guilty of being sloppy in possession, driving forward and finding Coleman - only for his powerful effort to flash across the face of goal and go wide.
With 33 minutes gone, a Babos free kick fell to Yusifu Ceesay, but the lively winger couldn't find his 11th goal of the season and his strike was blocked before troubling Grant. Grant, who impressed with his pinpoint distribution throughout the match, was then quick off his line seconds later to claim the ball as Ramaye Campbell, being regularly used for his ability to hold the ball up, burst through on goal. He also could've netted three minutes later after getting onto the end of a lofted Robinson ball had he found the target.
With chances for the Whites falling to Ceesay, Levi Andoh and Jaiden White before half-time, Buxton's best chance came from Fitzhugh, but his low drive after a counter-attack was straight at Richardson. For Hereford though, they could break the deadlock in two minutes of injury time at the end of the first half. It was Kyle Howkins whose initial ball into the box was flicked on by White, falling to Campbell. After striking towards goal, the keeper couldn't get enough on it to deny the striker his third goal in four games.
Half time: Hereford 1 - Buxton 0
Having seen less of the ball than Buxton, something Caddis had warned about ahead of the tie, the Bulls re-emerged after the break patient for their just reward - albeit now attacking the Blackfriars End.
While Brennan and Johnston were both denied shots by Hereford's defence, Ceesay tried his luck from 18-yards but his effort didn't curl enough to get the better of the keeper. In front of the Meadow End, Richardson was called into action where, after referee Liam Corbett turned down Johnston's shouts for a penalty, a rasping Coleman shot was saved by Richardson low down to his right.
Surely Hand Ball?
Coleman did find himself in the referee's notebook in the 67th minute for scything down Dylan Mitchell, but a second naive free kick, after Ceesay was brought down, just a minute later saw the Bulls capitalise.
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| There was no stopping Alex Babos's free kick |
It was a sublime free kick from 25-yard for Babos, clearing the wall and far out of reach for the keeper to save.
The two goal cushion didn't remain intact for long as Buxton pulled a goal back. Having been knocking on the door, Kieran Burton's ball down the flank was turned towards the box by Luke Brennan for Coleman to rifle home. The goalscorer was barely on the pitch another three minutes though after being shown a second yellow for an off-the-ball incident with Sammy Robinson, leaving him unable to carry on.
Now down to 10 men, the Bucks had to throw everything at the final 10 minutes to try and salvage a point. First, they saw Johnston head agonisingly wide from a tight angle at the back post as Brennan crossed in before Johnston claimed for another penalty after seemingly being shoved by Aaron Skinner in the box deep into stoppage time.
Despite the nervous dying stages, and Buxton threatening to cost the hosts two points, the Bulls march on.
Full time: Hereford 2 - Buxton 1
Attendance: 2,228 (22 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Remaye Campbell
Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Howkins, Preston, Andoh, Robinson (Williams 78’), Mitchell, White (Hudson 89’), Babos, Ceesay, Campbell (Cowley 82’)
Subs not used: McGlynn, Sturridge
Buxton: Grant, Lusala, Williams, Faulkner, Kirby (Trueman 85’), Brennan, Fitzhugh (Sangare 56’), Coleman, Johnston, Burton, Ewing
Subs not used: Mann, Elliott, Cooper