Lincoln City 3 Hereford United 4

STRIKE duo Stuart Fleetwood and Mathieu Manset fired Hereford into the third round of the FA Cup with two goals apiece in their second-round replay at Sincil Bank.

The pair took their joint tally for the season to 20 – all scored since Jamie Pitman took control of the team – in the much-postponed clash with the Imps.

The two sides served up a thrilling tie with goals seeming possible each time either side attacked.

But this was as much to do with vulnerability at the back as much as talent in attack.

From Hereford’s point of view, the solidity at the back seen at Aldershot the previous Monday disappeared as Lincoln’s potent attack-force caused plenty of problems.

On the flanks, Joe Heath and Ryan Green dealt reasonably well with the dangerous duo of Mustapha Carayol and Albert Jarrett, although Green’s game ended with a moment of stupidity when his deliberate handball was punished with a second yellowcard.

After only completing a three-game ban in time to return to the side on New Year’s Day, Green is now sidelined for two further matches.

Richard Rose, however, found himself having plenty to do to cover for Janos Kovacs and Michael Townsend as Ashley Grimes and Delroy Facey were a constant threat.

Hereford took the lead after three minutes when Kenny Lunt picked out Manset who slid his 10th goal of the season past Joe Anyon.

But Lincoln levelled when Townsend failed to deal with a far post cross and Jamie Clapham beat Adam Bartlett.

Townsend then lost a heading duel with Facey and could only watch the striker race into the area to fire the Imps ahead.

In between the two Lincoln goals, Fleetwood was unfortunate not to score with a fierce drive which came back off a post.

But the former Wales under- 21 international had better luck on 35 minutes, sweeping the ball home via a defender after good work by Manset on the left.

Townsend somehow directed a header from a James McQuilkin free-kick against the bar when it looked easier to score.

But within seconds, Hereford had taken the lead with a superb swerving 25-yarder from Fleetwood which flew into the top corner.

Grimes, though, produced a carbon copy of Fleetwood’s goal within three minutes of the resumption.

But Kovacs should have restored the Hereford lead when he somehow headed a McQuilkin corner over the bar from a yard out.

An excellent build-up involving Heath, Fleetwood and then another fine Lunt pass sent Manset in for and exemplary finish 19 minutes from the end.

There just remained time for Green to add a second caution to the one he had picked up for a first-half foul.