HEREFORD substitute Harrison Iwunze netted an illusive winner as the Bulls recorded a 1-0 win against Marine.
In their first home league game of the season the Bulls were worthy of their victory but struggled to break the deadlock until Iwunze came on to net the 76th minute winner.
Hereford boss Aaron Downes felt his side completed a ‘dominant performance with and without the ball.’
Despite Cawley Cox coming off without a goal boss Downes praised the youngster for working the defence before Notts County loanee Iwunze scored the winner.
Downes said: “Sometimes the centre forwards run the defenders ragged, and then that opens up the space for the other centre forward coming on.
“Cawley was excellent today. He put himself about and really worked the two centre halves.
“And then that opens the space up when they are a bit tired, and Harrison comes on and he was excellent.
“He took his goal ever so well, but his all-around game was really good.
“Danny (Waldron) is still building himself up to full fitness, but he'll be a massive asset for us when he's fully raring to go. I'm really happy with the three strikers we've got at the club, and it's a headache for me.”
The Bulls were looking for a response from their defeat last weekend at Buxton and pushed from the opening minutes, with Cox sending an audacious volley across goal and wide.
They were also without Preston Bitemo whose red card in the Buxton game will stand after appeal and the midfielder will miss three matches.
Hereford had a host of set pieces during the first half against Marine and Luke Spokes saw his free-kick headed over by Kyle Howkins.
Marine had made a number of good signing over the summer and tested the Bulls goal on 13 minutes with Fin Sinclair-Smith rifling his volley wide.
At the opposite end Hereford continued to push for an opener and Billy Phillips saw his driven effort tipped onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Jack Barrett, before skipper Kam Kandola sent a header over from the subsequent corner.
Downes’ side had a golden chance before the breaks when Cox played a one-two with Spokes before blazing his chance wide.
Cox came close to finding an illusive opener again after the break and he looked certain to find it after intercepting a back-pass and rounding the goalkeeper. However, the Marine defence defender resolutely and prevented the striker getting his shot away.
At the opposite end Will Merrett played a vital role in the Hereford defence and made a vital challenge on the hour mark to deny James potter on the counter-attack.
Spokes continued to be a threat as set pieces and sent his free-kick effort inches over the crossbar.
Iwunze was introduced on the 69th minute mark and seven minutes later he netted the winner. The 20-year-old beat his marker before firing across goal and past the helpless goalkeeper.
Spokes was determined to open his league goalscoring account for Hereford and saw another free-kick saved by a flying save.
Marine threw everything forward in the final minutes in search of an equaliser but came up against a well marshalled defence by skipper Kam Kandola.
However, in the second minute of six additional minutes Hereford switched off and left Isaac Abankwah unmarked from a corner, but the defender headed wide from six yards out.
Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Kandola, Merrett, Martin (Williamson 69), Tustin, Cox (Iwunze 69), Spokes, James, Phillips (Roberts 90+2), Howkins
Unused subs: Waldron, Lewis, Tolley, Jones.
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