Hereford'S first home pre-season friendly was a stale affair for most of the duration and the occasional glimmers of excitement in the July sunshine came from the Premiership visitors.

Villa, devoid of any players with a first team start to their name, condemned Hereford to their second friendly defeat in three days when midfielder Jay Smith struck 11 minutes from time.

Smith, in only his first month as a Villa professional, turned the ball home from six yards out from substitute David Berks' centre, which United keeper Scott Cooksey should have claimed.

United were not without enterprise but they displayed a worrying lack of firepower and the on-trial Michael Holt, formerly with Division 3 club Rochdale, did little to suggest he was an answer to the strike crisis faced by Bulls boss Graham Turner.

However, there was some encouragement for the home fans, with promising performances from summer acquisitions Michael McIndoe, Phil Robinson and Matt Gardiner.

Smith had the first real chance of a drab opening half on 25 minutes when he fired wildly wide from 12 yards when well positioned.

Eight minutes later ex-Ross County front man Neil Tarrant blazed his side's first clear-cut opportunity just wide when he fortuitously received an attempted shot from Michael Standing.

Cooksey ensured a goalless first 45 minutes when he saved smartly at the feet of Smith just before the break after Tarrant had threaded the ball through the Bulls back line.

Two minutes into the second period Steve Piearce was off target with a header when player-coach Robinson flicked on a corner from former Luton Town midfielder McIndoe.

McIndoe showed glimpses of a useful crossing ability, which should serve the Bulls well, but he came closest to providing an opening goal with a 25-yard effort from a well-worked free-kick after 54 minutes.

United club captain Ian Wright headed a close-range shot from Irish-born youngster John McGrath off his own line on the hour and picked up the pieces again on 74 minutes after Berks hit a post.

Wright turned provider a minute later when he crossed for Gardiner, who flashed a header wide of replacement keeper Neil Cutler's right-hand post from 12 yards, before Smith struck for the decisive goal.

Tarrant volleyed over with five minutes to go after Berks had cleverly lifted the ball into box for the 6ft 1in striker and the Bulls' final chance evaporated when Wright directed a free-kick from Robinson wide.

Hereford: Cooksey, Lane, Sturgess (Shirley 36 mins), Robinson, Wright, Gardiner, Rodgerson (Beale 85 mins), McIndoe, Holt, Piearce (Hanson 64 mins), Williams. Sub not used: Pitt.

Aston Villa: Ghent (Cutler 46 mins), Evans (Cooke 73 mins), McGrath, Lescott, Bewers, Curtolo, Smith, Standing (Thornley 84 mins ), Macfan (Moore 52 mins), Tarrant, Melaugh (Berks 68 mins). Subs not used: None.

Referee: M Forder (Hereford).

Attendance: 1,198.