SUBSTITUTE Paul Few-ings 84th-minute strike was enough to give Hereford their first away win of the season in the Nationwide Conference.

The former Hull City striker, whose career at Edgar Street has been dogged by injury, latched on to a knock down by Rob Elmes from a John Snape cross and stormed through to blast home a deflected shot to earn United a hard fought win.

Fewings, who missed most of last season with a hamstring injury, has been sidelined since the second game this term with a groin problem, and his goal, just 10 minutes after replacing Steve Piearce, was a just reward for his perseverance.

It was a former Hereford player, albeit a very short term one, who had perhaps the greatest influence on the game.

Lee Ellison, who made one substitute appearance at Torquay in United's final season in the Football League, squandered three great chances to set Southport on the way to victory.

In the first half he headed over from six yards and then sent a shot sailing into the crowd when he chose power rather than accuracy.

Seven minutes after the break Lee Elam, whose pace and running were a constant source of problems for United, laid on a chance and this time Ellison delayed his shot and keeper Mark Jones advanced to make a fine block.

Hereford had almost taken the lead after 14 minutes when home goalkeeper Steve Dickinson made a complete hash of a Mark Taylor corner.

The ball fell to Snape but his hard driven cross-shot was hacked off the line by Scott Guyett.

United were robbed of a chance to go in front in the 61st minute, however, when Gavin Williams was clearly felled in the penalty area by Martin Clark, only for a goal kick to be awarded.

The home side might, though, have snatched a point in the dying seconds when Jones did superbly to block a powerfully-driven 20-yard volley from substitute Andy Gouck.

The only black spots for Hereford, who brought to an end a sequence of three successive away defeats, were bookings for Paul Sturgess and James Wall.

Hereford: Jones, Lane, Sturgess, Snape, James, Wall, Williams, Taylor, Elmes, Piearce (Fewings 74 min), Rodgerson. Subs not used: Ruddal (gk), Parry, Hanson, Cotterill.

Attendance: 1,287.