HEREFORD FC crashed out of the FA Trophy as Benas Vaivada’s late strike sent Brentwood Town into the third round for the very first time.
With the Bulls struggling to create clear cut opportunities, Vaivada pounced eight minutes from time to give the Isthmian League Division One North side a shock victory.
Tate Campbell’s straight red card three minutes later gave Hereford an uphill task, which they were unable to climb, exiting the competition at the second round stage.
The first chance for either side arrived in the 11th minute when Jesse Olukolo was found in the area by Mekhi McKenzie, with the Blues winger stinging the palms of Hereford’s loanee goalkeeper Tom Donaghy with his effort.
Chaos ensued inside the Brentwood box on 24 minutes when the ball dropped to Cosmos Matawasa whose two efforts were blocked before the visitors finally managed to clear their lines.
At the opposite end the Bulls were on the attack again three minutes later when Ahkeem Rose’s flick-on found Andy Williams, with the striker controlling the ball nicely before sending his volley wide.
Hereford were close to taking the lead on 27 minutes after Matwasa’s corner was met at the near post by Ryan Bartley, but his glancing header landed just wide of the post.
Both sides continued to search for an opener in the second half, with Rose’s flicked header from a Matwasa cross coming close to finding a crucial goal for the Bulls a minute after the break.
A fine ball from Bartley towards Campbell on 56 minutes saw the midfielder through on goal but his shot was saved by the onrushing goalkeeper Melvin Minter to keep the scores level.
An opportunity then fell to substitute Lawson D’Ath on 78 minutes after Rose’s cross dropped to him on the edge of the box, but his effort lacked the power to trouble the Brentwood goal.
However, it was the non-league step four visitors who finally broke the deadlock eight minutes from time when a swift counter-attack saw Marlon Agyakwa fire the ball across the six yard box for Vaivada to convert.
The afternoon went from bad to worse for Paul Caddis’ side when Campabell saw red for a kick-out at Lee Noble on the ground.
Hereford did have one final chance but substitute Yusifu Ceesay’s cross narrowly evaded fellow replacement and makeshift striker Kyle Howkins.
Hereford: Donaghy, Bartley, Derricott (Howkins 86), Preston, Hudson, Campbell, Teixeira, Rose, Matwasa, Rooney (D'Ath 45), Williams (Ceesay 62) Unused subs: Horton, Cowley
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