Half-time: Hereford United 2 Ebbsfleet United 1 (From Hereford Times)

Half-time: Hereford United 2 Ebbsfleet United 1

5:15pm Saturday 25th August 2012 in Blue Square Bet Conference Premier - Table By Richard Prime

GOALS from Marley Watkins and Sean Canham put Hereford firmly in control at the interval against 10-man Ebbsfleet.

Hereford, who had had plenty of time to perfect their strategy, started brightly and had an opening in the second minute only for Clist to lose control in the area.

Marley Watkins then found some space in the area to send a shot skidding wide of the far post.

With Hereford still having the better o f the attacking, Andy Gallinagh made a good run before crossing to Sean Canham whose scuffed shot was easily blocked.

Ebbsfleet were feeling the early pressure and Liam Bellamy and skipper Paul Lorraine were yellos-carded for poor challenges on Harry Pell and Clist respectively.

Sam Clucas made ground down the left on to a Chris Carruthers pass and delivered a dangerous cross which Patrick Ada put behind for the first corner.

But nothing was made of the flag-kick.

On 18 minutes, Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Preston Edwards was called on to make his first save, diving to push away a Pell drive.

Moments later, the keeper was in action again, diving to block Canham’s header after good work on the right by Tom Nichols.

Dan Hanford finally got his hands on the ball after 20 minutes but had little difficulty in gathering an Elder header.

Hereford were swiftly back on the offensive and Edwards had to come racing off his line to clear when Watkins raced through.

The winger, who was in typically dangerous action throughout, drilled a shot just wide moments later.

Hereford took the lead on 27 minutes with a well-worked goal.

Canham slipped the ball through to Watkins who blasted his shot past Edwards into the corner of the net.

Hoping to hit back immediately, Fleet pressed forward and Hanford did well to parry Liam Enver-Marum’s drive.

But Hereford should have extended their lead on 31 minutes when Nichols raced clear after a mistake by Craig Stone, only to shoot straight at Edwards.

Nichols did better just afterwards, though, with a shot from Clist’s pas which fizzed inches the wrong side of the far upright.

On 35 minutes, Hereford won their third corner when Sam Clucas’ shot deflected behind and it brought the second goal.

Watkins and Clucas exchanged passes before Watkins delivered the cross for Canham to head his third goal in four games.

Elder forced a low save from Hanford but it was a rare incursion for the visitors who were mostly pegged back by the rampant Bulls.

On the stroke of half-time, Bellamy collected his second yellow card for a horrid challenge on Nichols, leaving the visitors to play the second period with 10 men.