HEREFORD moved further away from danger by recording their fifth League 2 away win of the season.

The Bulls fell behind early on but two goals from Stuart Fleetwood, one deflected, and a late strike by Nicky Featherstone gave them an excellent victory.

With the glory of the FA Cup now behind them, the Bulls made two changes, one enforced, for their return to league action at Plainmoor.

With Joe Heath suspended, Rob Purdie was recalled to fill the left-back berth.

And to complete the changes at full-back, Ryan Green took over on the right side, allowing Richard Rose to move into midfield and displace Nicky Featherstone who dropped to the bench.

The former Hull man was joined among the replacements by recent acquisitions Wes Ngo Baheng and Bristol Rovers loanee Harry Pell.

Torquay included former Bull Craig Stanley, who had played against United in their previous league game for Morecambe.

A foul on Kennny Lunt after two minutes brought Hereford an opening.

But James McQuilkin’s free-kick was easily cleared by the home defence.

Torquay responded with a left-wing cross which flashed across goal and wide.

Hereford were almost presented with a gift when Mark Ellis slipped and presented the ball to Stuart Fleetwood.

The striker pulled the b all back from the bye-line but a yard ahead of Joe Colbeck and the chance was gone.

Adam Bartlett had an anxious moment on eight minutes when he spilled a shot from Eunan O’Kane, with Janos Kovacs hacking the loose ball to safety.

But Hereford fell behind in the 10th minute when Jake Robinson, newly arrived on loan from Shrewsbury, beat the offside trap to shoot home from the edge of the area.

The striker almost added another seconds later with a fierce drive which deflected behind for a corner.

Hereford, though, were back on level terms five minutes later.

Fleetwood took advantage of some hesitancy in the home defence who failed to read a high-bouncing ball which he controlled, rounded Scott Bevan and fired home.

Fleetwood did his best to set up a second on 21 minutes, beating Ellis to the ball and dragging the ball back to Jake Jervis who appeared to be bundled off the ball as he prepared to shoot.

The game was being contested at a furious pace with the action switching rapidly from one end to the other.

Jervis almost beat the offside trap to Fleetwood’s pass while Robinson also drew a flag in the next Torquay attack.

Bartlett dived to save well from a long-range effort from O’Kane who then provided the cross for Billy Kee to crash a shot just wide.

But Hereford should have taken the lead when a header by Rose from a free-kick fell beautifully for Janos Kovacs who drilled his shot inches past a post.

Then a cross from Colbeck darted across the goalmouth just inches from the stretching boot of Fleetwood.

Within 30 seconds of the re-start, Hereford were in front.

Rose sent Colbeck away on the right and his cross picked out Fleetwood at the far post whose header was deflected into the net by a defender.

Hereford had a great chance to increase their lead moments afterwards with another swift counter-attack.

Fleetwood raced away on the right and crossed to Colbeck who, with the goal gaping, sliced his shot against a defender and behind.

Hereford clearly should have had a penalty on 50 minutes when Lunt was hacked down by defender Chris Robertson only for referee Malone to wave play on.

Hereford’s pace on the counter gave them a real threat and Fleetwood’s energy gave the home defence headaches aplenty.

And the Bulls went further ahead 10 minutes from the end, Green’s deep cross was headed down by Fleetwood for substitute Featherstone to hammer in his first Hereford goal.

Torquay threatened occasionally to get back into the game and excellent defensive work by skipper Michael Townsend denied Saul Halpin a scoring opportunity.

And Billy Kee was guilty of an incredible miss, rounding Bartlett only to smash his shot against an upright when he had the whole goal to aim at.

Hereford: Bartlett; Green, Kovacs, Townsend, Purdie; Colbeck, McQuilkin, Rose, Lunt (Featherstone 75); Jervis (Canham 80), Fleetwood (Baheng 89). Subs not used: Heister, Stratford, Preston, Pell.

Torquay: Bevan; Ellis (Lathrope 67), Robertson, Branston, Nicholson; Mansell, Stanley, Stevens (Halpin 83), O’Kane; Robinson, Kee. Subs not used: Potter, Rowe-Turner, Macklin, Oastler, Yeoman.

Referee: Brendan Malone (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 1,680 (86 from Hereford).

Goals: Robinson, 10 min, 1-0; Fleetwood, 15 min, 1-1; Fleetwood, 46 min, 1-2; Featherstone, 80 min, 1-3.

Yellow cards: Hereford – Townsend, foul, 71 min; Torquay – Lathrope, foul, 79 min.