HEREFORD midfielder Rob Purdie said the players only have themselves to blame after slumping to a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Farnborough.

After the euphoria of the FA Cup win at Eastleigh last Saturday and the subsequent first round draw on Monday night, the Bulls crashed down to earth in the Evo-Stik South Premier.

"It shouldn't have been but we made it a tough match," admitted Purdie.

"We've only got ourselves to blame.

"I don't think mentally we went into the game thinking about the FA Cup, but we obviously didn't approach the game right.

"We started the game ok but I think we were doing our own thing a little bit and paid the price.

"Individually, we just didn't do enough all over the park and sometimes you need a spark to get ourselves out of trouble.

"We need to remember that you earn the right to play whether it's a higher-graded team or a team in this league and we didn't quite do that"

Mike Symons was sent off for Hereford just before half time after picking up two yellow cards, the second for a foul on Farnborough goalkeeper Matt Cafer.

"I didn't see the first booking, but I saw the second one," added Purdie.

"But we'll leave that to Beads to look at the video to see if it was a fair challenge."

The challenge for Hereford now is to pick themselves up, starting with a home game against Kings Langley this Saturday.

"Beads and Jenks will make sure that we learn from tonight and if we do, it will be a positive," said Purdie.

"When we lost to Slough, I think we then had 13 wins and one draw in all competitions, so we've got to make sure that we go on a run like that again."

Hereford manager Pete Beadle made four changes from the team that upset Eastleigh in the FA Cup last Saturday, with Adam Page, Rob Purdie, Dan Preston and Pablo Haysham coming in for James Bowen, who has signed for Solihull Moors, Calvin Dinsley, Garyn Preen and Keyon Reffell.

The Bulls went close to opening the scoring in the eighth minute, but John Mills’ effort struck a post.

At the other end, Martin Horsell denied Jamie Cureton before Mike McGrath shot over for Hereford.

The Bulls were reduced to 10 men two minutes before half time when Symons picked up his second yellow card for a foul on Farnborough keeper Matt Cafer.

And the home side’s woes deepened shortly into the second half.

Coles did well to compose himself after rounding Horsell before slotting home.

McGrath went close to equalising, but his shot was cleared off the line, while substitute Jamie Bird fired wide.

Hereford: Horsell, Oates, Page (Bird 67), Purdie, Green, Deaman, Preston, McGrath, Mills, Haysham (Smith 46), Symons.

Subs not used: O'Shea, Franklin, M Harris.

Farnborough: Cafer, Hammond, Emerson, Evans (Forbes 82), Saville (Fearn 46), Huggins, Southam, Everitt, Cureton, Coles, Ciadini,

Subs not used: Calcutt, Hutchings, Willcock.

Referee: Richard Price.

Yellow cards: Hereford – Symons, 15; Farnborough – Hammond, 17. Saville, 35, Coles, 77, Everitt, 90/+1

Red card: Hereford – Symons, 43.

Attendance: 2,014 (nine away fans).