THE two local Nationwide Conference rivals repeated the scoreline from their Edgar Street clash eight days previously in the return encounter on Monday, writes RICHARD PRIME.

In a local derby with plenty of passion and excitement, Hereford's two former Kidderminster players met with mixed fortunes on their old stamping ground.

Leroy May, reinstated to the Bulls attack in place of Rob Elmes, fired the visitors in front after just four minutes, but Matt Clarke, taking the place of injured Tony James, had a much less happy time.

The defender picked up a yellow card after a 33rd-minute skirmish with Thomas Skovbjerg and was then dismissed following a 56th-minute tackle on Ian Foster which resulted in a second caution.

Foster, a Hereford player himself a couple of years back, then got on the scoresheet when flu victim Mark Jones was unable to hold on to Dean Bennett's 65th-minute effort.

As well as recalls for May and Clarke, there was a reappearance for Ian Rodgerson in place of injured Paul Parry and the reshaped Bulls line-up quickly made an impact.

A mix-up in the Harriers defence left an opening for Paul Fewings whose miscued shot fell to May to lash home from a narrow angle.

Fewings went close to adding to the lead on the quarter-hour when his delicate header from a Mark Taylor free-kick produced an acrobatic save from Tim Clarke.

Gavin Williams sent a curling shot just over before Hereford suffered a setback, losing Paul Sturgess with a knee injury 12 minutes before the break.

But, with substitute John Shirley settling comfortably into Sturgess' left-back berth, Hereford continued to hold their own as half-time approached, with Rodgerson testing Clarke with a well-struck 20-yarder.

Matt Clarke's dismissal temporarily shifted the balance of power and Hereford were lucky to escape when a United head deflected Scott Stamps' free-kick on to the crossbar.

But, after Foster had levelled the scores, the numerical status quo was also restored when former Liverpool midfielder Mike Marsh followed Clarke down the tunnel after his second yellow card offence on 67 minutes.

After this, the game was largely a scrappy affair.

Bennett and Hereford skipper Ian Wright were also cautioned by Kingswinford referee Andy Penn.

Hereford: Jones, Lane, Sturgess (Shirley 33 min), Snape, Wright, Clarke, Rodgerson, Taylor. May (Elmes 81 min), Williams, Fewings (Wall 59 min). Subs not used: Hanson, Rudall (gk).

Kidderminster: Clarke, Clarkson, Stamps, Petersen (Webb 65 min), Hinton, Smith, Bennett, Skovbjerg, Hadley, Foster (Taylor 87 min), Marsh. Subs not used: Hines, Brock, Druce.

Referee: A Penn (Kingswinford).

Attendance: 4,606.