HEREFORD produced one of the most sensational fightbacks in their history to gain a famous win over fellow-strugglers Northampton.

Trailing by three goals at the break after Leon McKenzie first-half hat-trick, Hereford fought back incredibly with goals from Stuart Fleetwood (2), James McQuilkin and Mathieu Manset.

Caretaker-boss Jamie Pitman was forced into one team change for the trip to Sixfields.

With Sean Canham suspended following his sending-off against Port Vale, Kenny Lunt was restored to the side to play in an advanced position just behind Guillem Bauza.

There was a new name on the bench, however, with Rhett Heister occupying the substitute goalkeeper’s spot.

With Dean Beckwith suspended, also after a sending-off last week, the ex-Hereford presence in the Cobblers line-up was confined to the substitutes’ bench where Steve Guinan and Nathaniel Wedderburn were both named.

Northampton had a chance in the first minute when Ryan Valentine threw himself in the way of a Josh Parker shot to concede a corner.

Parker curled a shot just wide on seven minutes as the home side made the better of the early running.

A Michael Townsend tackle on Leon McKenzie on 15 minutes brought a home corner but the Hereford defence cleared the danger.

A Cobblers free-kick brought a swift Hereford counter-attack with James McQuilkin sprinting the length of the field.

Richard Rose’s shot was weak, though and posed no danger to home keeper Chris Dunn.

Hereford fell behind in the 23rd minute when Leon McKenzie leapt higher than keeper Adam Bartlett to head in Liam Davis’ cross.

With Northampton continuing to outmuscle the Bulls in most areas of the field, Bartlett had to stoop to save a Parker effort five minutes later.

Hereford responded with a flicked header by Guillem Bauza from a McQuilkin free-kick which flew wide.

Hereford replaced Dominik Werling with Mathieu Manset after 37 minutes.

And the substitute had a chance almost immediately, racing on to Lunt’s pass but blazing high and wide.

But Hereford fell further behind when Bartlett spilled a shot from Kevin Thornton and McKenzie was first to the loose ball to fire home.

The striker completed his hat-trick in first-half stoppage time after another blunder.

This time it was McQuilkin, whose back-pass found McKenzie in yards of space and he had the easy job of rounding Bartlett to score.

Parker fired into the side-netting as the home side made the running at the start of the second period.

Bauza matched Parker at the other with a flicked shot after a powerful run and pass from Manset.

Former Bulls favourite Guinan replaced the injured McKenzie after 49 minutes and almost immediately played in Billy McKay whose low shot was well saved by the diving Bartlett.

The keeper saved brilliantly from McKay after a mazy run on 52 minutes.

Hereford forced their first corner on 54 minutes. McQuilkin’s cross picked out Joe Colbeck but the midfielder’s effort was blocked.

McKay got up well to head a Guinan cross as the Cobblers moved back on to the attack but the ball sailed over.

Stuart Fleetwood replaced Lunt on 55 minutes and had the ball in the net within three minutes.

The striker sped on to Bauza’s pass to score with an angled shot.

Within seconds, Hereford could have had a penalty when referee Dunn appeared to impede Manset’s efforts to reach a Colbeck cross.

With Hereford in the ascendant, it took a fine save from Dunn to prevent Manset from reducing arrears further after another Bauza pass.

And Dunn’s acrobatics foiled McQuilkin from a fizzing free-kick shortly afterwards.

But, on the counter, Guinan just failed to reach a cross through the six-yard box at the other end.

Hereford, however, were finding previously unseen fighting qualities and Fleetwood bagged his second with a close-range header after a brilliant run and cross by Bauza.

And McQuilkin’s exquisite curler from the edge of the area tied it up two minutes later.

And, 12 minutes from time, Manset completed the transformation, twisting and turning before slipping the ball past Dunn.

Northampton’s day took a further down ward turn when Ben Tozer, who had fouled Ryan Green, hurled the ball at the prone Bulls full-back and was shown a straight re3d card.

Hereford: Bartlett; Green, Townsend, James, Valentine; Colbeck, McQuilkin, Rose, Werling (Manset 37); Lunt (Fleetwood 55), Bauza. Subs not used: Heister, Kovacs, Weir, Evans, Thompson.

Northampton: Dunn; Johnson, Tozer, Holt, Davis, Osman (Wedderburn 61), Thornton, Gilligan, Parker (Rodgers 79), McKenzie (Guinan 49), McKay. Subs not used: Hall, Walker, Jacobs, Harris.

Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Attendance: 4,333 (including 332 from Hereford).

Goals: McKenzie, 23 min, 1-0; McKenzie, 42 min, 2-0; McKenzie, 45 min, 3-0; Fleetwood, 58 min, 3-1; Fleetwood, 70 min, 3-2; McQuilkin, 72 min, 3-3; Manset, 78 min, 3-4. Red card: Northampton – Tozer, throwing ball at opponent, 87 min.

Yellow cards: Hereford – Werling, foul. 27 min; Valentint, dissent, 81 min; Townsend, 81 min, dissent; Northampton – McKenzie, goal celebration, 24 min.