BULLS’ BOLD CHARGE POWERED BY PHILIPS

The Non-League Football Paper

STAR MAN: Paul Downing (Hereford)

HEREFORD moved within one point of the top seven with a key win at Southport as teams around them dropped points in the play-off race. An injury to Southport winger Tyler Walton was not the start home manager Jim Bentley had hoped for, going down with what looked to be a calf strain early on. The first chance came the way of the hosts as a flowing move picked open the defence, David Morgan laying off to Danny Lloyd, leaving the winger one-on-one with Curtis Pond, but the visiting keeper reacted well to paw Lloyd’s shot away. Hereford had their first big chance just after the half-hour, as Andy Williams latched on to a through ball, before being denied by the feet of Chris Renshaw. Hereford were shocked not to take the lead in the 42nd minute as Renshaw came off his line to deny Williams, his save bounced up to an unmarked Lewis Hudson, who headed towards the empty net only to see the fingertips of a quickly recovering Renshaw deny him. Less than 60 seconds later Hereford would have that lead though, as Paul Downing’s shot was held by the keeper. But the linesman adjudged the ball to have just crossed the line while in his hands, much to the anger of the Southport No 1. Southport’s day got worse as Danny Lloyd saw red for an off-theball incident with Kyle Howkins. But rather than sinking under the pressure, Port seemed lifted by a feeling of injustice and went through their best spell of the game in the next 15 minutes. The hosts’ best chance of this period came from right-back Keenan Quansah, who rushed into the final third, shrugging off two challenges before lining up a shot that narrowly skimmed the bar. Renshaw kept the lead at one with ten minutes left as Southport were hit on the counter, a superb triple save denying Alex Babos and Kieran Phillips the Bulls’ second. Hereford’s second did arrive on the 90-minute mark as Phillips saw off Harry Flowers before tucking into the bottom corner. Southport pulled one back as Festus Arthur’s effort was parried to Marcus Carver, who tapped in from short range.