DEFENSIVE blunders proved costly as the Bulls lost their opening Edgar Street League 2 clash against unfancied Morecambe.

Adam Bartlett and Michael Townsend were culpable with errors which allowed the visitors to go in two goals to the good at the interval.

And Stewart Drummond profited from some more slackness in the second period to underline Morecambe’s win.

Hereford boss Jamie Pitman opted to recall Townsend after the centre-back completed a two-match ban.

This allowed Ryan Green to return to his more accustomed right-back role with Rob Purdie pushing up into midfield.

With Nicky Featherstone returning to the bench, there was no place for either Janos Kovacs or Sean Canham among the substitutes.

Hereford almost gave the Shrimps a gift start when a cross by Izak Reid was deflected into the sidenetting of the Bulls goal by Harry Pell.

The corner was easily cleared by the United defence.

Bartlett, however, was called into the action on five minutes when Danny Carlton was allowed too much space by Townsend and drilled in a 30-yarder which the Bulls keeper tipped over in acrobatic style.

Hereford worked hard to get into the game and a promising move in the 15th minute saw Joe Heath’s driven cross from the left flash across goal just out of the reach of Joe Colbeck.

Purdie tried his luck from 35 yards on 19 minutes but the effort flashed just wide.

A good break by Colbeck found Pell and, in turn, Fleetwood whose deflected shot was easily gathered by Barry Roche in the visitors’ goal.

Facey and Purdie broke out speedily into the Shrimps area but Purdie’s drive was comfortably helad by Roche.

With Hereford having much the better of the action, Facey sent Fleetwood away on the left and the striker cut into the area, only to fire into the side-netting.

Morecambe, who had been forced back on to the defensive, struck back to force a corner by Danny Carlton’s header flew high over.

But Hereford spurned a great chance when Green sent Colbeck away to deliver a great cross which neither Facey nor Fleetwood could get a full boot on.

Morecambe took the lead on 37 minutes with a goal out of the blue after a blunder by Bartlett.

Carlton drilled in a shot from 30 yards and Bartlett allowed the shot to flash through his hands, hitting the net half-way up.

Facey had a chance to level on 43 minutes, meeting a cross from Colbeck with a header which went well wide.

A minute before the interval, a clumsy foul by Townsend on the edge of the area presented the visitors with a free-kick.

Jevons stepped up and drilled his shot into the bottom left-hand corner of Bartlett’s net.

Hereford were within an ace of pulling a goal back within seconds of the re-start.

Facey sent Colbeck away on the right and his cross picked out Green whose header was palmed behind for a corner by Roche.

From a second corner shortly afterwards, Purdie’s flag-kick was headed just wide by Townsend.

But Morecambe’s threat was rarely stilled and Jevons got the better of Townsend to drive in a shot which flashed inches wide.

And Bartlett was left grasping air as a shot from Stewart Drummond went inched wide. Hereford sent on Yoann Arquin to replace Facey after 59 minutes, reverting to a 4-4-2 formation.

But after 63 minutes, the Shrimps extended their lead from a corner move.

Laurence Wilson’s flag-kick was headed across goal by Gary McDonald and Drummond volleyed home from 12 yards.

A chip by Jevons went close to adding a fourth shortly afterwards.

Hereford were stopped in their tracks for some while but Townsend got forward on 79 minutes to send a long-range drive wide.

And Harry Pell’s shot was pushed out by Roche moments later.

To their credit, Hereford kept going to the end and Pell drove a shot just over in injury time.

Hereford: 4-3-3; Bartlett; Green, Stam, Townsend, Heath; Lunt (Featherstone 71), Pell, Purdie; Colbeck, Facey (Arquin 59), Fleetwood. Subs not used: Hoult, Williams, McQuilkin.

Morecambe: 4-4-2; Roche; Haining, Fenton, McCready, Wilson; Reid, Drummond, McDonald, Alessandra (Ellison 73); Carlton, Jevons (Parrish 81). Subs not used: Routledge, Cowperthwaite, Charnock.

Referee: Pat Miller (Bedfordshire).

Attendance: 2,045 (including 89 from Morecambe).

Goals: Carlton, 37 min, 0-1; Jevons, 45 min, 0-2; Drummond, 63 min, 0-3.

Yellow cards: Hereford – Fleetwood, foul, 83 min; Morecambe – Carlton, kicking ball away, 45 min.