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| Montel Gibson scored the equaliser |
A super strike from Lawson D'Ath and the returning Montel Gibson stabbing home a parried ball earned the Bulls a share of the spoils, cancelling out first half goals from Ryan Blake and Tyrone Marsh where the hosts were guilty of sloppy defending.
With an unchanged starting XI after Saturday's convincing home win over the ever-tricky Alfreton Town, the Bulls fans at a wet, floodlit Edgar Street would have been hoping for more of the same against Bedford - a side in the relegation zone before Tuesday's National League North matches.
That wasn't to be though as the first half was largely devoid of the confident, fluid football enjoyed on Saturday.
An early Bedford corner fell to Blake who fired a shot over Theo Richardson's goal, but there was a glimmer of hope as West Brom loanee Michael Parker burst forward, found Williams who's skill allowed Eno Nto to fire a shot across goal.
But just four minutes in, the Bulls were on the back foot, a trait that is becoming alarmingly regular after seven league games. It was a wicked Ellis Brown cross that found Blake unmarked at the back post, heading across Richardson's goal to take the lead.
The Bulls then had a flurry of chances to draw themselves back level, the first saw I-Lani Edwards' tame shot from Nto's cross easily saved by Dan Wilks, before Omari Sterling-James nor Kyle Howkins could find the target with their chances.
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| Andy Williams With A Chance For Hereford |
Rueing those missed opportunities, Hereford saw the Eagles - who had kept up the pressure - double their lead in the 16th minute after more poor defending. Hereford failed to deal efficiently with a ball that was heading out, with experienced National League striker Marsh allowed space to pick up the loose ball, compose himself and fire home with his left foot just as Matt Richards recovered.
By the 19th minute it should have been three, with Marsh breaking free in the area - only to see his cross-come-shot evade every blue shirt before fizzing narrowly wide ahead of the onrushing Ellis Brown.
Paul Caddis's side soon had Richardson to thank for keeping the deficit at just two goals when, after the Bulls lost possession in midfield, pulled off a fine save to deny Lewis Coyle from Greg Taylor.
After 20 minutes of aimless passing the ball around the pitch, with a varying degree of success against a side who were guilty of some early timewasting, the lively Eno Nto whipped in a cross for Sterling-James to turn goal-bound, only to be parried by keeper Wilks and cleared.
But before the half was out, there were more chances for the newly promoted side, with a key block from Aaron Skinner denying Coyle after he combined well with Marsh, before Richardson somehow pulled off a second fine save to deny a low header from the unmarked Blake.
But Richardson was caught out with Bedford's final chance of the first half when, in stoppage time, he pondered on the ball before Parker came to his rescue to clear ahead of the onrushing Eagles.
Half time: Hereford 0 - Bedford Town 2
With an improvement needed in the second half having been contained and caught out by the threatening visitors, as well as lacking a cutting edge, Hereford did have two chances at the start of the half. That said, they were either side of Richardson denying Marsh his eighth goal of the season with a scrambled effort from a free kick.
For the Bulls, Andy Williams had the ball in the back of the net after being played in by Sterling-James, but the linesman's flag was raised in plenty of time before the experienced forward pulled the trigger. It was then Edwards showing his skill twisting and turning his way in from the right, before Wilks managed to get his fingertips to Sterling-James's rising shot to push over the bar.
A double sub for the Bulls just five minutes into the second half saw Williams and Edwards replaced by reunited forwards Remaye Campbell and Montel Gibson. With the 2,300 Bulls fans hoping the two up front would be the catalyst to a comeback, it was Bedford who threatened next as Coyle fired wide from an acute angle.
But the comeback looked like it could be on as Hereford saw a powerful Campbell shot saved by Wilks and Gibson unable to control a first shot that went wide before a spectacular, athletic over-head kick also failed to hit the target.
But it was in the 68th minute Hereford reduced the deficit. With Bedford bravely leaving two up for a Bulls' corner, D'Ath was well-placed outside the area to react to the half-clearance of a Sterling-James corner, unleashing a powerful low strike through a crowded box from 25-yards and into the back of the net.
The Clearance Fell To D'Ath Who From 25 Yards Drove A Fierce Past The Keeper
With the Meadow End sparking into life, Gibson continued searching for a goal on his debut since returning on loan from Matlock Town, with one effort blazed over before a succession of shots in a congested area being blocked.
While Bedford still threatened and looked to restore their two-goal lead, Howkins - not for the first time of the evening - lost his man and let substitute Shaun Jeffers through on goal only for Richardson to be equal to the effort, Gibson did finally get his goal. A tiring Nto crossed in a poor ball from the left, but Wilks fumbled as he attempted to pick the ball out of the air, leaving Gibson to tap home at the back post.
In the dying stages of the game, and four minutes of injury time, Hereford pushed for a winner with chances for Gibson and a late free-kick, but had to settle for a point.
Full time: Hereford 2 - Bedford Town 2
Attendance: 2,361 (47 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Lawson D'Ath
All in all, a draw was perhaps a fair result on the day. Hereford looked a different side to Saturday when they struggled to make in-roads in the first half, lacking the same confidence that was instilled in them on Saturday. But after the break, Paul Caddis had managed to get his side to click slightly better and, while not perfect, the Bulls did fight back from two goals down to earn a point.
Bedford will have been disappointed not to pick up their second win of their first season back in the National League North campaign, especially conceding after a goalkeeping error, but the Bulls did have their fair share of chances after the break.
Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Parker, Howkins, Hudson, D'Ath (Osbourne 80'), Richards, Edwards (Campbell 52'), Sterling-James, Nto, Williams (Gibson 52')
Subs not used: Lewis, Quansah, Preston, Bitemo
Bedford Town: Wilks, Green (Isaacson 75’), S. Brown, Mensah (Hawkins 46’), Taylor, Coyle (Jeffers 80’), Gyamfi, Marsh, Blake (Ajose 68’), E. Brown, Dawudo
Subs not used: Mewitt, Panter, Ofosu