Hereford United 0 Northwich Victoria 1

Hereford United's GLS Conference Cup campaign came to an end at Edgar Street last night but seemingly to no-one's great regret, writes Richard Prime.

There is a packed schedule ahead with a mid-week game virtually every week until the end of the season and involvement in two other cups.

So no-one in the Bulls camp is likely to be too sorry that it is Northwich who will be travelling to Accrington Stanley for the competition's northern area semi-final next month.

Bulls' boss Graham Turner rang the changes and named a completely different starting line-up to the one which began last Saturday's game with Canvey Island.

There were outings for youth team players Sam Gwynne and Paul Collins as well as a debut for former West Brom youngster Kyle Patterson.

There was a rare chance for Andy Williams in midfield too and he seized his chance to look the pick of the Hereford line-up.

Alongside Collins in defence, there was useful match practice for the experienced trio of Ryan Green, Andy Tretton and Tom Smith who succinctly summed up the value of the evening's work.

Smith said: "Ideally we would like to win every game but it was a good work-out for the lads who haven't been playing regularly."

Hereford had the best of a largely uneventful first period with long-range efforts from Williams and Green flying wide, while David Brown had two distance shots saved.

Brown should have opened the scoring, however, four minutes before the interval when Williams' pass found him five yards from goal.

But the forward fired his shot against the bar and the ball was cleared to safety.

Northwich grabbed the decisive goal just five minutes into the second period.

Paul Brayson played the ball down to Chris Gaghan who looked a couple of yards offside as he slipped the ball under Ben Scott.

Brown missed the target twice more from 20 yards as Hereford looked to hit back but Scott was forced to make a good low save from Brayson as Northwich shared the balance of play.

Hereford continued to be restricted to shooting from distance with even Graham Hyde trying his shooting boots on a couple of occasions from 30 yards but to no avail.

With the meagre crowd already thinking about heading home, there was just one final effort with Lee Mills blazing over from close range after a cross by Patterson picked him out at the far post.

Hereford: Scott 6, Green 6, T Smith 7, Tretton 7, Collins 6, Brown 5, Hyde 6, Gwynne 6, *A Williams 8, Patterson 5, Mills 6. Subs not used: Lewis, Travis, Jones, M Smith, Mkandawire.

Attendance: 347.