HEREFORD manager Russell Slade reminded his side of the FA Cup’s importance at half-time before they scored four second half goals to beat Truro City 5-2.

The Bulls found themselves 2-0 down within 17 minutes as the visitors stunned Edgar Street before Reece Styche pulled a goal back with a first half penalty.

Slade changed the style of play at half-time and went more direct with the introduction of Mike Symons and Rowan Liburd.

Jordan Nicholson fired his side level after finding the bottom corner with his effort before Liburd fired home inside the box following a free-kick.

Symons secured his side’s place in the next round with a fourth before debutant Peter Vincenti scored a late penalty.

Slade said: “I told them at half-time, this is the FA Cup. Are we going out of this cup competition with 45 minutes to go with a whimper? I don’t think so.

“I love a cup run and no way were we going out of the cup. We had to change the mentality a little bit and the attitude.

“It was about the attitude a bit in the second half. Did we really want it in the second half? Yes we did and we asked a lot of questions of them in the end.

“Sometimes there is a need to make them understand their responsibilities because it’s all about them doing their jobs which is the most important thing when they go out onto that pitch.

“Do your jobs, do it consistently and do it to a high standard. That wasn’t met after the first 45 minutes.

“I thought we were very slow on the ball, our build-up was too slow, we were giving the ball away and I had to take that responsibility away from them in the second half.

“We went more direct rather than giving them the opportunity to take the ball from the back. We brought two big strikers on and we played off the front a little bit more.

“Forgive me and I’m sorry to the fans if it was little bit too direct but I thought that was the way we could get at the opposition in the second half.

“I needed to take away a little bit of responsibility from the players in order that we could be playing in their half and putting their back four under pressure as we hadn’t been doing that in the first 45 minutes.

“Maybe I gave them too many decisions and choices to go and play and accept the ball. They were giving 10 and 15-yard passes away and then getting caught on the ball.

“We were creating problems for ourselves and making poor choices so at half-time I took those away from them.

“In the second half we put them under pressure, whatever we did we put them under a lot more pressure.

“Sometimes you have to ask questions of them in battles and one v ones and we did in the second half. We started winning those battles, those first contacts and that started to turn the game.

“We were getting behind them, down the sides of them and putting balls in the box. In the end that’s what caused the damage.

“Football is always going to be a game of ifs and buts, but it is about taking those opportunities and in the end we have taken five opportunities that have come our way and that’s been enough.

“That should be enough at home to win a football match.”

Vincenti played a full 90 minutes on his debut after arriving on loan from Macclesfield Town.

Slade added: “Some good things with Pete but he hasn’t played for an awful long time. I think he’s going to be an asset to us as he settles in with the group, he’s only had like an hour and a half training with us so far.

“Honestly he’s going to be absolutely fine.  I kept him on the pitch for just fitness really.”

The Bulls host Kettering Town on Saturday before traveling to Leamington two days later.

Slade says if his side keep ‘switching off’ he will be forced to make changes.

He added: “We have a couple of sessions in order to prepare and recover from the two games we’ve just had. I’m looking for that consistence, do your jobs, and do it to high level.

“We’ve been demanding that in training and they’re going to have to get used to that as they won’t be allowed to switch off.

“If they switch off or they’re not doing their jobs then I have choice but to make changes. If I have to make them quickly then I have to make them quickly to turn it around.

“We want to be winning football matches and we want to go on a journey and do that together.”