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Hereford FC v AFC Telford United in the Enterprise National League North.
The Bulls were back at the MandM Edgar Street Stadium for a local derby against AFC Telford United after reclaiming top spot following victory on Saturday in the top-of-the-table clash against Macclesfield FC in biblical conditions.
Aaron Downes and Harry Pell kept the same line-up and bench following the victory over the Silkmen.
The Bucks had a plethora of ex-Bulls in their ranks with Brandon Hall, Zak Lilly, Orrin Pendley, Kian Ryley, Dylan Mitchell and Jordan Cranston all now residing at the Shropshire outfit however only Hall and Lilly started with Pendley, Ryley, Mitchell and Cranston were on the bench.
Telford came flying out of the traps, a ball from the right by Jamie Meddows into box was cleared for a corner before a coming together of Louis Moult and Kyle Howkins before a corner was played towards the front post by Mel Benning which Joseph James cleared.
Charlie Williams won the ball on the left flank before going on a marauding run, flashing a cross into the path of Moult who stabbed wide of the left post.
The Bucks continued on the ascendency penning the Bulls back into their own half with Sam McLintock lashing a powerful strike wide from 30-yards.
Williams had a dig from the edge of the box on the left floating narrowly wide.
25 minutes in and Hereford had failed to test former Bulls no.1 Hall before warming his gloves when James swung a ball into the area which was chested into the path of Aaron Skinner by Billy Phillips, the latter's shot tipped away by Hall for a corner.
James scooped high over the bar from a central position before the visitors went up the other end and broke the deadlock on 32 minutes with their pressure finally telling, a long ball found Williams who squared from the right for Moult to have the simplest of tap-ins 5-yards out at the far post.
A disjointed first-half display by the Bulls saw them narrowly trail at the break.
Half-time: Hereford FC 0-1 AFC Telford United
Hereford started the second-half kicking towards the Meadow End with much more intensity.
Phillips’ effort trickled past the left post for a corner after a wicked deflection.
The Bulls won a free-kick in the left corner after a high challenge on Harrison Iwunze by Remi Walker with Luke Spokes’ curler almost creeping underneath the bar but just crashed off it.
Telford introduced ex-Bull Ryley as a substitute whose first involvement was to ping a cross into the box which Moult latched onto, his goal bound shot was well blocked by Howkins before the rebound fell to Walker who blazed narrowly wide of the top-right corner.
Hereford were really starting to now up the ante in search of an equaliser throwing bodies forward at any given opportunity - Spokes was next to try his luck after being teed up inside the box on the left by Skinner before he fizzed a drive across the face of the box low and hard towards the bottom-right corner but Hall was equal to the effort parrying away for a corner.
The former Hereford shot-stopper was called upon again pulling off a quick-fire double save, firstly a miscommunication at the back by Lilly and Oliver Cawthorne allowed Iwunze through one-on-one but he pulled off a point blank save before the rebound fell into the path of Fin Holmes who again could only find the Bucks custodian in the way.
Shortly afterwards there was a worrying sight with Phillips going off to be replaced by Keziah Martin after a tackle by Ryley near the left touchline before the visitors saw out five minutes of stoppage time to inflict a second straight home defeat on the Bulls.
Full-time: Hereford FC 0-1 AFC Telford United
Hereford FC: 1. Theo Richardson, 2. Aaron Skinner, 4. Kam Kandola ©️, 5. Will Merrett, 8. Harry Tustin, 10. Danny Waldron, 14. Luke Spokes, 17. Joseph James, 19. Harrison Iwunze, 23. Billy Phillips, 28. Kyle Howkins.
Substitutes: 6. Joe Willis, 7. Keziah Martin, 9. Cawley Cox, 11. Fin Holmes, 18. Liam Roberts, 21. Ollie Lewis, 30. Kameron Muir.
Attendance 3525 (170 away)
Bitterly disappointing and frustrating that Hereford couldn't back up the immense victory at Macclesfield after regaining top stop with the Bulls huffing and puffing in the second-half but couldn't quite do enough with Telford inflicting a second straight home defeat meaning surrendering the summit once again.
However no time to dwell with a quick turnaround and a chance to bounce back with the visit of King's Lynn Town and the return of former manager Paul Caddis and assistant manager Adam Rooney to the MandM Edgar Street Stadium. COYW
Words: Sam Cummins