ROB Purdie says he was nearly diagnosed as being anaemic during a difficult start to his Hereford FC career.

The former Hereford United player went to a doctor after injuring his knee during the derby match against Westfields in August.

It was found that Purdie had low white blood cell levels and was prescribed iron pills.

But now the 33-year-old says he feels fitter than he has been for a long time, culminating in his performance against Stourport Swifts on Tuesday night when he scored twice in a 6-0 win.

"After the Westfields game when I did my knee, I felt that I needed to speak to a doctor because I didn't have any energy levels," explained Purdie.

"In the first six games, I probably only felt fit in one of them and I was I really struggling.

"I couldn't put my finger on it and didn't know if I had some sort of illness.

"He took some blood tests and analysed that my white blood cells were too low.

"I was borderline anaemic so he put me on some iron pills.

"Being injured, I could take them without exerting too much change and since I have been back from my knee injury, the iron pills have sorted that out and I feel totally different.

"It's changed me massively and it has helped me hugely in my energy levels.

"I still don't feel as sharp as I would like to be and I'm not as sharp as I was 10 years ago, but I still feel I have that general fitness when other teams start to tire, I can use my fitness to get around the pitch.

"I tend to outlast them still which is down to my base fitness work from when I was full time."

Purdie added that he "couldn't move" during the second game of the season against Stourport.

"It was like I was running in quicksand," he said.

"It was like that in other games, like the first half at Rocester, then the Westfields game.

"Luckily I saw a doctor and it was sorted.

"If I had let it go, then I will still be struggling now.

"Now I feel like I did five or six years ago."

Hereford manager Pete Beadle felt Purdie was excellent on Tuesday, especially in the second half.

"I thought he was a bit sloppy in the first half and I told him at half-time, but in the second half, his energy was fantastic, his runs were great," said Beadle.

"To have the legs to go run and finish the way we did is fantastic.

"He has waited a long time because he's been out of the team injured, then he's had to sit on the bench.

"Purds showed his freshness because he hadn't played many games lately, but he's fit and ready to play.

"I thought he was excellent."