HEREFORD manager Russell Slade was left frustrated as his side fell to an uninspiring 2-0 defeat at one of the club's struggling at the foot of the National League North table.

Slade's side should've capitalised on two great chances within the opening three minutes of Saturday afternoon's game at Curzon Ashton, before the hosts got a foothold in the game.

"It was always going to be tougher finding that intensity and tempo we had on Tuesday," Slade said.

"However that level needed to be as close as it possibly could be to the intensity that we created at home.

"I say at home because by and large we've been okay at home, away from home we're not giving ourselves a chance.

"There's too many times we've gone a goal down or two goals down and actually not from great play but from mistakes and errors which has cost us dearly.

"In the second half I felt we huffed and we puffed and we were much more competitive, we've worked their goalkeeper and Brand (Hall)'s not had a save to make, we're the away team but the damage has been done.

"It makes it tough, we've given ourselves a very difficult task of getting back in the game when we're 2-0 down, we know and we've seen it before and we've got to do something about it."

After the two good chances from Reece Styche and Jordan Nicholson in the opening stages of the game, Curzon took the lead inside give minutes.

The referee awarded the hosts a controversial penalty after Jared Hodgkiss was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.

Sean Miller stepped up and duly converted, before Charlie Jolley added a second after a defensive mix up from Hereford.

The Bulls went into the game off the back of one of their best performances of the season as they drew 2-2 at home against York City on Tuesday.

Slade added Hereford's away form is a problem and they need to start grinding points out.

"I think you need to separate the two, at home, by and large, we've been getting on top, not always the performance we want but away from home we've got to start picking up points," he said.

"We've got to work really hard to grind points out."