HEREFORD’S interim player/coach Josh Gowling wants his players to buy into a new philosophy of football at Edgar Street.

An injury time Tom Owen-Evans penalty saw the Bulls come from a goal down with 10 men to earn a 1-1 draw with Curzon Ashton in Gowling’s first match in charge.

“We have changed a lot and I’m sure you can see out there,” said Gowling.

“We’ve trained on Tuesday and Thursday and the lads have took on a lot of information. We saw some things we needed to tweak and change.

“Obviously it’s going to be a bit of time for the lads to fully take it on board, but I think the lads really showed a good account of themselves.

“I just want the lads to buy into this philosophy and positive atmosphere that I want then it will bring energy. If they are enjoying playing then energy just comes.

“They (the fans) are going to have to bear with us a little bit with the type of football we want to play. We want to try and play possession-based football at home and we want to play at that tempo.

“I know they (the fans) get a little bit frustrated with the backwards passes but sometimes we have to do that.

“To be honest it worked well as we wore them down and the last 10 minutes we were the stronger team with 10 men. I think keeping possession and making teams work is going to wear them down and we can come on stronger at the end.

“There is a method to our madness. What’s happened has happened and gone is gone. We want to create a new environment and look forward and not behind us so that’s what we’re going to do.”

A positive start for Hereford ended on the 15th minute when they conceded the opener from a corner.

Goalkeeper Will Henry failed to collect the ball under pressure but saved Connor Dimaio’s shot before Mohamud Ali fired home the rebound.

The match was then delayed by five minutes when referee Scott Simpson was taken off injured and radio co-commentator Mark Ammonds was called out of the stand to run the line.

From the re-start Alex Bray ran through on goal but was cynically brought down by Daniel Shaw, but the replacement referee only booked him for the foul.

Victor Sodiende was denied by the bar from the resulting free-kick before Rowan Liburd headed the rebound over.

Before the break replacement referee Liam Corbett showed Ben Pollock a straight red for a late challenge.

After the break Curzon went close to a second with James Baillie sending his free-kick an inch over the bar.

Shaw should have sealed the points for Ashton after the ball broke for him on the 70th minute, but Henry was equal to his shot.

The Bulls remained in the tie and almost pulled level with 15 minutes remaining, but Jordan Cullinane-Liburd sent his header wide from a corner.

However, in the 92nd minute Tom Owen-Evans equalised from the penalty spot after Rowan Liburd was brought down inside the box.

“Going down to 10 men after 30 minutes, I think we were strong all game,” added Gowling.

“We spoke at half-time and said our philosophy is changing and it didn’t matter that we were down to 10 men we wanted to win a game of football.

“We weren’t going to sit off and lose 1-0 , that’s not what we’re about any more we wanted to keep ourselves in the game and in the last 10 minutes have a right go.

“We dug in and we were resilient. One of the things we spoke about was our tone, the way we speak to each other when things go wrong we’re not going to get on each other’s backs.

“We’re going to encourage and push each other forward and I think we did that. Sometimes when things get tough and you get on each other’s back it then becomes worse.

“We focused on how we speak to each other as staff and players and I think that drove us through as well.

Gowling praised substitutes Reece Styche, Jacob Jagger Cane and Rhys Davies for their contributions towards the draw.

He added: “I got the lads in there to give Rhys Davies a round of applause because for such a young lad to come on under these conditions and to put on this performance was a real credit to him.

“It was a credit to the youth team.”

Gowling chose not to play himself in the tie, which he said was his decision for the team.

He added: “I felt today the lads needed someone supporting them, pushing them and having belief and faith in them,

“I felt I could do that more on the side-line than I could do on the pitch. That was my decision to do that and we’ll see how it goes as the weeks go on.

“I want to be here for the lads, I work for the lads and I want the best for them.”