Last Wednesday, goals from Jon Brady and Adam Stansfield, put the Bulls into a 2-0 lead against League 2 Wrexham who then battled back to earn a 2-2 draw.

On Saturday, Stansfield was again on the mark, along with Rob Purdie, as Hereford surrendered a 2-1 lead in the last four minutes to go down 3-2 to Bristol Rovers.

And then, on Monday evening, against rather less testing opposition at Ludlow Town, the Bulls came up with their first win of the pre-season campaign with a 3-0 win thanks to two goals from Danny Carey-Bertram and one from trialist Graham Evans.

Brady opened the scoring against Wrexham after just 13 minutes following a good run by Rob Purdie and then provided the cross for Stansfield to head in powerfully at the far post 13 minutes later.

Former Accrington Stanley striker Lee McEvilly pulled a goal back with a 30-yard free-kick just before the interval and the Dragons drew level in the second period with a shot from the edge of the area by Levi Mackin which looped over replacement goalkeeper Clint Davies.

Hereford: Mawson (Davies 46 min), Green (James 67 min), Ferrell, Jeannin (Gwynne 67 min), Mkandawire, Beckwith, Brady (Carpenter 83 min), Stanley (Jones 46 min), Stansfield (Collins 74 min), Williams A (Carey-Bertram 46 min), Purdie (Evans 46 min).

On Saturday, Hereford, who experimented with a 3-5-2 formation, gave as good as they got against Bristol Rovers before succumbing late in the game.

After an even start, Rovers took the lead just before the interval when Steve Elliott came forward to thunder home a header from a Ryan Williams corner.

Hereford swiftly hit back after the interval, however, and Brady and Stansfield worked the ball back to Rob Purdie to level the scores with a delightful curling shot on 58 minutes.

Stansfield's equally high quality finish shortly afterwards, following more good work by Brady, put Hereford in front and the Bulls seemed to be well on course for a win until the closing stages.

Then, with eight United substitutes on the pitch, goals from Jefferson Louis and, in injury time, from Marc Richards, settled the game in the Pirates' favour.

Hereford: Mawson (Davies 59 min), Green (A Williams 87 min), Beckwith, Jeannin, Mkandawire (R Williams 84 min), James, Brady (Gwynne 68 min), Coldicott (Stanley 46 min), Stansfield (Ipoua 68 min), Evans (Carey-Bertram 59 min), Purdie (Carpenter 84 min).

With Ryan Green, at 24, the oldest player in the starting line-up, Hereford struggled to make their way through a battling Ludlow defence and were held goalless at half-time.

A penetrating run by Green on 55 minutes worked the ball to Evans who slipped the ball through to Carey-Bertram to open the scoring.

Evans himself added the second with a good run and shot before Sam Gwynne was hacked down in the 73 minute for Carey-Bertram to fire in the third from the penalty spot.

Hereford: Davies, Green (Mkandawire 56 min), Gwynne, Stanley (Stansfield 70 min), Beckwith (Campbell 74 min), R Williams, Carpenter, Purdie (Jeannin 56 min), Carey-Bertram, Evans, A Williams.