HEREFORD boss Aaron Downes urged his side to create more scoring opportunities after battling to a 1-0 victory against Southport.
Aaron Skinner’s second half penalty was all that separated the sides and Downes felt that Bulls ‘should have made it easier for themselves’.
He said: “We made it a lot harder than what we should have done.
“I really wanted us to move the ball quicker, be more decisively with the ball. We dominated territory in the second half, dominated the game, then we I haven't really made the goalkeeper work enough.
“Ultimately, it's come down to a penalty that has got us the result. We didn't really carve out or create a real clear-cut opportunity.
“I'm happy with a lot of what we've done today, but I'm disappointed we haven't created eight, nine or 10 chances for the dominance that we had with the football.”
Southport were smarting from a 5-1 defeat at Scarborough on Saturday and boss Neil Danns made five changes as he looked for a response.
The Bulls tested the home defence early on with Danny Waldron and Kyle Howkins seeing effort blocked as Southport escaped with a frantic piece of defending in their own box.
Downes’ side played against a strong wind on the Merseyside coast in the first half and were limited to opportunities.
Southport went close just before half-time when a whipped in corner found Matthew Williams, but he could only guide his close range shot over.
With the wind on his back Bulls goalkeeper Theo Richardson almost netted an unlikely opener with a free-kick from within his own half which was miss-judged by his opposing number before dropping just wide.
The introduction of Jordan Williamson and Harrison Iwunze in the second half gave the Bulls added impetus.
Williamson sparked Hereford’s best spell of the match on 65 minutes when his shot across goal was well saved by goalkeeper Solomon Honor.
The Southport goalkeeper was tested again moments later when he palmed Luke Spokes’ well-hit free-kick wide.
The Bulls found a 68th minute when Kyle Howkins was brought down inside the box resulting in a penalty.
Skinner confidently stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong direction to add to his penalty scoring tally.
The Sandgrounders almost had an equaliser six minutes later after Malakai McKenzie’s fizzed ball was palmed by Richardson into the path of Christy Edwards who headed over from close range.
Iwunze should have sealed the points for Hereford after capitalising on a goalkeeping mistake, but he failed to get his shot away and the chance disappeared.
At the opposite end Richardson was forced into action three minutes from time to pick McKenzie’s low effort out the bottom corner.
Then with two minutes from time Southport were reduced to 10 men after Harry Perritt lunged in on Billy Phillips and the referee brandished his red card.
Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Merrett, Martin (Cox 82), Tustin, Waldron (Iwunze 62), Spokes, James, Bitemo (Williamson 45), Phillips, Howkins
Unused subs: Roberts, Lewis, Tolley, Jones
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