HEREFORD suffered their first defeat of pre-season as Bishops Cleeve struck twice after a host of substitutes had been made.
Adulai Sambu and Reegan Messenger netted inside the last 21 minutes to earn their side a 2-0 win, after the Bulls took a host of senior players off on the hour mark.
Hereford were still without Kyle Howkins, Aaron Skinner and Danny Waldron who missed their second consecutive pre-season friendly on artificial surfaces.
There was further bad news about midfielder Joe Willis who is set to be out for the next eight to 10 weeks with a muscle injury.
It was the Southern League Division One South hosts who had the first opportunity when Lewis Hudson saw his pass intercepted by Sambu, resulting in a free-kick being conceded and flashed over the crossbar by Zack Kotwica.
Cleeve went close again when a good Aaron Evans-Harriott corner picked out the head of Jake Lee whose effort flew over.
Hereford’s first chance came with 12 minutes played after Luke Spokes played a one-two with Billy Phillips before shooting just wide.
Misfortune struck for the Bulls four minutes later when Fin Holmes pulled up with an injury and looked in distress as he hobbled off the pitch and was replaced.
Holmes was replaced by a trialist who tried to make an immediate impact and found the head of Cawley Cox, but his glanced effort flew just wide.
Cox was grew into the game and thought he had opened the Bishops Cleeve defence, but Hereford’s trialist was in an off-side position for the through ball.
Moments later Cox broke the defence before feeding through Phillips whose shot was well blocked by Rower.
Bishops Cleeve remained a threat at the opposite end and goalkeeper Theo Richardson was quick off his goal-line and saved at the feet of Evans-Harriott.
The Bulls went closest before the break when Phillips twisted and turned at goal before forcing a smart save from the goalkeeper.
Hereford were increasingly tested in the air during the second half, with substitute goalkeeper Ollie Lewis forced into action to deny Bower.
At the opposite end Luke Spokes was found from a Bulls corner and produced a good save from the goalkeeper, before Hereford’s trialist fired wide moments afterwards.
On the hour mark Hereford boss Aaron Downes made a host of changes, with a host of under-18 players introduced.
Bishops Cleeve almost took advantage minutes later when the ball fell inside a crowded box and Ben McLean saw his powerful shot saved by Lewis.
Keziah Martin was one of the first team Bulls who remained on the field and found himself in a pocket of space before firing a low driven shot just wide.
Bishops Cleeve found a 69th minute opener when Kam Kandola took a heavy touch and Adulai Sambu dispossessed him before netting.
Cleeve should have had a second seven minutes later when McLean drew in the defence before finding Charlie Holliday who snatched his shot wide.
With four minutes remaining the hosts sealed the win with their second goal after Reegan Messenger towered above the young Hereford defence to head home from a corner.
Hereford: Richardson, Trialist, James, Kandola, Hudson, Bitemo, Martin, Spokes, Phillips, Cox, Holmes.
Subs: Lewis, Jones, Bradley, Lloyd, Metcalf, Sahabi, Antoniuk, Gaudin, Mills, Jones Williams, Bevan, Trialist
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