Moors suffered injury-time heartbreak as Hereford came from behind to claim all three points at the end of a pulsating National League North encounter at Edgar Street.
Lebrun Mbeka’s powerful header had given Lewis Dickman’s side a deserved first half lead and they could have gone in further in front after a dominant opening 45 minutes.
However, the in-form Bulls came out fighting after the break and a wonderful strike from Lassana Mendes levelled the game before an equally stunning goal from Jason Cowley settled the affair in Hereford’s favour at the death.
Mbeka’s inclusion was one of three changes to the Moors starting eleven, as Will Harris and Michael Ledger both returned to the line-up for the longest trip of the season.
Moors showed their threat in the early stages and Mark Anderson’s precise cross-field pass released Keenan Ferguson in behind only for his low ball across to be intercepted before it could reach Harris.
Hereford responded with a back post header from Cowley which was blocked by Ben Pollock, before Ollie Southern glanced a header just wide of the post after good work from Mendes.
Harris was looked in determined mood and let fly with an instinctive left-foot strike from distance which flashed just too high to trouble Curtis Pond in the home goal.
Pond was more than troubled on 28 minutes though. Anderson’s hanging right-wing corner was brilliantly met by Mbeka and his thunderous header hit the net before the Bulls keeper had a chance to react.
Harris could even have made it 2-0 almost immediately when he intercepted Nathan Cameron’s careless pass out of defence, but his low drive was parried clear by Pond.
At the other end, Hereford could have levelled when the dangerous Yusifu Ceesay pinched the ball from Reece Staunton before driving through on goal only for James Montgomery to make himself big and block the shot away to safety.
Hereford came out at pace at the start of the second half and Mendes came close to equalising when he met Ceesay’s deep cross with a looping header which landed on the roof of the net.
Glen Taylor volleyed too high after good work from Harris and Callum Ross, while Alex Babos retuned the favour at the other end with a powerful strike over Montgomery’s bar.
Montgomery then saved well from Cowley’s header which was arrowing into the top corner, before Ceesay drilled the rebound across goal and wide.
However, The Bulls were level on 56 minutes. Moors could only half clear a corner and Mendes picked up the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed an unstoppable shot with the outside of his right boot which flashed into the top corner.
Ceesay lashed a low shot just wide moments later as the hosts sensed a chance the turn the game on its head, while Cameron sent a header just too high from a corner.
Moors continued to hold some threat on the counter but couldn’t find a clear route to goal, while Hereford were left wondering how they didn’t get their noses in front on 82 minutes when Montgomery pulled off a miraculous point-blank save to deny them from Babos’ corner.
Mendes tried to repeat his heroics from the edge of the box but this time his stinging drive rippled the side netting as Moors escaped further punishment.
There were seven minutes added on at the end and with just one of those elapsed Hereford found the winner. The ball dropped kindly for Cowley 22 yards from goal, and he turned onto his left foot and sent a curling shot right into the top corner to set off wild celebrations in the home stands.
Full Time: Hereford 2 Moors 1
Hereford: Pond, Southern, Cameron, Downing, Skinner (Rooney 85), Lyden (Teixeira 46), Pugh (Williams 73), Mendes, Babos, Ceesay, Cowley.
Subs not used: Tolley, Howkins.
Booked: Downing (50), Southern (87), Cowley (90)
Sent-off: Mendes (90)
Moors: Montgomery, Ferguson (McKeown 65), Mbeka, Pollock, Ledger, Staunton, Anderson, Ross, Greenfield (Gallacher 88), Harris (Fielding 79), Taylor.
Subs not used: Roxburgh, Mouat.
Booked: Ferguson (64), Staunton (69), Montgomery (85), Anderson (90)
Referee: Niall Smith
Attendance: 2,707 (43 Moors)
