Bulls go down at Sincil Bank
5:04pm Monday 24th March 2008
Lincoln City 2 Hereford United 1
HEREFORD's hopes of automatic promotions suffered a damaging blow with a Bank Holiday Monday defeat at 10-man Lincoln.
The Bulls wasted a number of second-half chances as they failed to profit from the first-half sending-off of home skipper Scott Kerr.
Hereford made the more promising start and Dean Beckwith forced an early save from a Clint Easton free-kick.
The Bulls continued to apply pressure but found it difficult to test Alan Marriott in the home goal.
The keeper did have to come out well in the 11th minute, however, to save at the feet of Gary Hooper.
Then Hooper had another opening after a blunder by Nat Brown presented the chance but he hooked his effort over.
Lincoln then came back into the game and a low shot by Jamie Forrester was well saved by Wayne Brown before the game boiled up on 30 minutes.
Kerr went in with his studs showing as he challenged Clint Easton and was shown a straight red card.
But the home side, instead of collapsing, the home side opened the scoring.
The Imps broke out from Simon Johnson's free-kick and Dany N'Guessan angled a shot past Brown.
Hereford should have levelled on 35 minutes when Easton's free-kick picked out Hooper at the far post but the on-loan striker only succeeded in prodding the ball wide.
Then, a shot from Richard Rose took a deflection on the way through but Marriott still pulled off a diving save.
Hereford went on to the attack from the start of the second period but despite forcing corners chances continued to be hard to come by.
Trent McClenahan fired a shot over and then Simon Johnson curled an effort wide before Ben Smith had a shot pushed behind for another flag-kick.
Hereford's pressure eventually seemed likely to pay off and so it proved in the 62nd minute.
Robinson slipped a pass through to Hooper who advanced before nudging the ball past Marriott.
Hereford continued to dominate play and it was a major surprise when Lincoln regained the lead six minutes from time.
From almost their first time in the United area in the second period, Ben Wright went down under Easton's challenge.
N'Guessan sent Brown the wrong way from the spot.
Hereford looked stunned but pressed forward again and Robinson sent a drive screaming over.
The Bulls' top scorer then rifled a shot straight at Marriott.
And Robinson wasted yet another opening, blasting straight at Marriott after good work by Hooper.
Hereford: Brown; McClenahan, Beckwith, McCombe, Rose; Johnson (Guina, 75 min), Smith, Diagouraga, Easton; Hooper, Robinson. Subs not used: Esson, Colins, Gwynne, Taylor, Guinan.
Lincoln: Marriott, Green, Brown, Hone, Ridley (Moses, 76 min), Kerr, Clarke, N'Guessan, John-Lewis, Forrester (Pembleton, 31 min), Wright. Subs not used: Moses, Stallard, Dodds, Duffy.
Referee: David Foster (Tyne & Wear).
Attendance: 3,614 Red card: Lincoln - Kerr, 30 mins, serious foul play.
Yellow cards: Hereford - Smith, foul, 65 min; Easton, foul, 84 min; Lincoln - Hone, foul, 34 min.
Goals: N'Guessan, 31 min, 1-0; Hooper, 62 min, 1-1; N'Guessan, 84 min, 2-1.