THREE goals in a disastrous four-minute spell saw Hereford slump to another defeat at Huish Park on Saturday.

The Bulls' latest Nation-wide Conference loss to Yeovil extended their run to just one win in 15 games and, with other sides below them picking up points, meant that the threat of further relegation is very real at Edgar Street.

The fine performance in collecting a draw at favourites Cheltenham Town had raised hopes that the corner might have been turned. But injuries and suspension ruled out the chance of Graham Turner being able to field his first-choice side. Although the make-shift defence held out for the first 45 minutes, the cracks didn't take long to appear in the second half.

Turner was without his preferred central defensive pairing of Ian Wright and Stuart Evans, who both suffered calf injuries at Cheltenham, and Chris Lane was also sidelined by suspension.

Tony James did his best to hold things together but the defence received little in the way of assistance from midfield players who, might in the circumstances, have been expected to help provide some extra cover.

There was little to indicate the later goal-rush in the first 45 minutes when the game seemed to be heading for an end-of-season goalless draw.

But the home side showed much more purpose when they came out for the second period and Andy Quy did well to grasp a ricocheting Warren Patmore header, and then James produced an excellent tackle to foil Owen Pickard after Rob Cousins' pass gave the ex-United striker a clear run at goal.

After 54 minutes, poor defending by Mark Taylor on the edge of the box allowed Steve Thompson to turn and slip a pass through to Pickard and he made no mistake from close range.

Within a minute, another of Yeovil's ex-Hereford contingent added a second when Murray Fishlock's right-foot shot, which Quy appeared to have covered, took a deflection off Robbie Dennison and flew into the opposite corner of the net.

After two contributions by the 'old boys', the third Yeovil goal on 58 minutes came from a current Hereford player.

Matthew Cross' attempt to clear a Thompson cross simply guided the ball over Quy and into the net.

Paul Parry headed an Ian Rodgerson cross wide in a rare United attack but it was Yeovil who came closest to scoring again when Quy produced a fine save to prevent substitute Darren Keeling from adding a fourth.

Hereford: Quy, Rodgerson, Cross, Dennison, James, Cook, Williams, Taylor, Roberts, Cowe, Parry. Subs not used: Shirley, Jones and Dyer.