HEREFORD manager Josh Gowling said his side’s 1-0 defeat to Peterborough Sports was their worst display in possession during his tenure.

“In possession we were just awful tonight,” said Gowling.

“We couldn’t string simple two-yard passes together and that’s what cost us the game. Defensively we were fine, I don’t think they caused too many problems except a couple of balls in behind.

“I felt when we got into the final third and the middle of the park at times I thought simple passes. That was the poorest performance that I’ve had as a manager here in possession.

“If you can’t pass a ball from A to B and it’s three yards away that was the reality of tonight that we couldn’t pass to each other.

“That looked a tired performance more mentally than physically.”

Peterborough, who had only won two away league games this season before visiting Edgar Street, started brightly and winger Josh McCammon cut inside the Hereford box on 14 minutes forcing a fine save from the leg of goalkeeper Brad Wade.

Mark Jones was next to test the Hereford goal beating the off-side trap only to be denied by a last ditch Orrin Pendley tackle.

Hereford did respond on 28 minutes when Miles Storey controlled a long ball into the box lobbing the goalkeeper but firing over the crossbar.

Storey tested the goalkeeper again before the break flicking on Ryan McLean’s ball into the box but Peter Crook did enough to gather the ball.

After the break the Bulls tested again as Hanson rode two challenges and then saw his effort saved by the legs of Crook.

Peterborough then took control of the game firstly with Jones forcing Wade into a low save with a headed effort.

The visitors should have scored on 55 minutes as Josh McCammon opened the defence putting the ball on a plate for Dion Sembie-Ferris to tap home, but the ball escaped through the winger’s legs.

Moments later Abduramane Sano Sani fired his effort off-target with the goal at his mercy after being played into the box.

The winning goal came on 68 minutes when a hurried back-pass to goalkeeper Wade resulted in McCammon closing down the goalkeeper and deflecting his clearance into the net.

Hereford’s best effort at a response came almost immediately when Tyrone Barnett flicked a ball into the path of Harry Pinchard who fired over.

“I don’t like people turning up just to moan when we lose and not give us the same energy when we’re winning,” added Gowling who faced some criticism from the defeat.

Hereford: Wade, Haines, McLean (Holmes 61), Amadi-Holloway (Derricott 83), Pinchard, Storey, Hanson, Pendley, Rowe, Caton (Barnett 45), Thompson

Unused subs: Campbell, Osment