Hereford United 0 Macclesfield Town 4.

HEREFORD crashed to their third defeat in three League 2 outings as Macclesfield Town compounded the hurt inflicted by Morecambe the previous Saturday.

So it’s no goals and no points so far for hapless United.

But anyone who had left the ground at half-time would find the result, and the margin of victory, hard to believe – as did most of the 1,600 or so hardy Bulls fans remaining.

Hereford had been cheered from the pitch at the interval after one of the best 45 minutes produced on home soil in the last three seasons and it was a mystery and a disappointment that they had not opened up at least some sort of advantage.

Referee Darren Sheldrake unaccountably waved away appeals for a penalty after just a minute when former Bulls keeper Jose Veiga clearly brought down Stuart Fleetwood.

Even the Macclesfield bench admitted afterwards that they would have been livid to have been denied a penalty if roles were reversed.

Veiga, who would have been sent off if the penalty had been awarded, made fine saves from Nicky Featherstone, Joe Colbeck and Delroy Facey as United dominated.

But that was as good as it got and the second half was a disaster.

Michael Townsend conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area and Tony Diagne’s perfectly placed shot fizzed pass Russell Hoult – pressed into service due to Adam Bartlett’s thigh injury.

Hoult was caught off his line as Ross Draper’s once in a lifetime chip from 45 yards sailed into the Meadow End goal.

Then, with United’s defence exposed, Hoult could only push out Carl Tremarco’s shot as far as Ben Tomlinson who netted easily.

And Hoult’s indignity was completed deep into injury time when he left his area to clear, was caught in possession and Tomlinson nipped in for his second of the evening.

Even Macclesfield – also no points and no goals before their arrival at Edgar Street – could hardly believe their good fortune.