Full-time: Stockport County 0 Hereford United 5

Rob Purdie set United on their way to two goals in two first –half minutes.

And second-half goals from Mathieu Manset and Stiart Fleetwood, with an own goal from home keeper Matt Glennon set up Hereford’s biggest away win since returning to League action.

The returning Purdie was thrust straight back into the Bulls line-up at Edgeley Park.

The former player-of-the-year, who has rejoined United on a three-month loan from Oldham, took the place of Dominik Werling on the left of midfield.

Hereford were otherwise unchanged, although Guillem Bauza was sufficiently fit to occupy a place on the bench, alongside Stuart Fleetwood.

Play was very scrappy in the early stages with both sides struggling to get the ball down to play.

Hereford showed a few glimpses especially in an excellent run by James McQuilkin, who carried the ball 60 yards before losing control.

Hereford went ahead on nine minutes and it marked a dream return for Purdie.

Kenny Lunt seized on a flick from Mathieu Manset and keeper Matt Glennon could only push the ball into the path of Purdie who slid home from close range.

Purdie scored again two minutes later slotting home in similar circumstances after Glennon had pushed out Lunt’s shot following good work by Manset.

Stockport won a free-kick on the edge of the area after a clumsy challenge by Michael Townsend on Mansour Assoumani.

But the impact of the free-kick was absorbed by the home side’s Jordan Rose who took the ball full in the face.

Adam Bartlett pulled off a stupendous save, diving to palm away George Donnelly’s header on 19 minutes as Stockport finally found some fluency.

But Hereford should have had a penalty moments later when the ball bounced away off a defender’s hand.

And Manset came close to adding a third when he raced on to Lunt’s through pass but chipped the ball over.

Stockport forced a corner on 27 minutes but the Hereford defence cleared Adam Griffin’s flag-kick without much alarm.

But Hereford moved swiftly back on to the attack to force a corner of their own after Glennon tipped over a fierce McQuilkin drive.

It took an excellent tackle, however, by Richard Rose to prevent Wes Fletcher from getting in a shot as the high pace of the game continued.

Hereford extended their lead six minutes into the second period.

Lunt’s perfectly weighted through ball sent Manset clear and the big striker curled a shot around Glennon for his third goal in successive games.

Stockport brought on substitutes Barry Conlon and Danny Rowe as they attempted to alter their fortunes.

Rowe tried his luck from distance but the ball flashed high over the bar.

Hereford needed to be wary of complacency at this stage and a poor pass from Joe Colbeck presented Donelly with a shooting chance.

Fortunately for the Bulls, Bartlett was equal to his long-range drive.

Ryan Green then produced an excellent block to foil Jake Simpson.

Hereford, who replaced the tiring Manset and Lunt with Stuart Fleetwood and Guillem Bauza, still had some attacking impetus and a cross from Purdie flashed through the six-yard box with no-one able to get a touch.

And the Bulls extended their lead four minutes from the end when Fleetwood streaked away from half-way to slide the ball past Glennon.

But that was not the end as Glennon gifted the Bulls a fifth in the final minute by fumbling another Fleetwood shot into the net.

Hereford: Bartlett; Green, Townsend, James, Valentine; Colbeck, Rose, McQuilkin, Purdie (Weir 86); Lunt (Bauza 75); Manset (Fleetwood 72). Subs not used: Heister, Kovacs, Werling, Stratford.

Stockport: Glennon, Lynch, Williams, Turnbull, Assoumani, Donnelly, Pulis (Conlon 60), Griffin, Rose (Rowe 54), Simpson, Fletcher. Subs not used: Vincent, Tansey, Halls, Ormson, Darkwah.

Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire).

Attendance: 4,017.

Goals: Purdie, 9 min, 0-1; Purdie, 11 min, 0-2; Manset, 51 min, 0-3; Fleetwood, 86 min, 0-4; Glennon og, 89 min, 0-5.

Yellow cards: Hereford – Bauza, foul, 80 min; Stockport – Pulis, 53 min, foul.