EDGAR Street provided a blustery setting on Saturday as the Bulls conceded their first Nationwide Conference double of the season.

It remains to be seen how costly the pair of holiday defeats will be when the end of the season arrives.

Last season, Burton, who were never in the play-off reckoning, were the only team to take six points off United but Exeter are certainly in the frame to clinch one of the coveted four play-off spots.

The Bulls announced an unchanged side after their win over Leigh RMI but with just 10 minutes played were forced to re-shuffle their pack.

Rob Purdie pulled up after chasing a long ball and shortly afterwards had to leave the field.

"I felt my hamstring go as I was running but I'm hoping I will not be out too long," said the midfielder.

Things went further downhill on 20 minutes when, as at St James' Park on Boxing Day, Hereford set Exeter on the way to victory by gifting them a goal.

Jamie Pitman was judged to have fouled Dean Moxey on the edge of the Hereford area.

When Andy Taylor swung in a dangerous free-kick, Adam Stansfield flicked the ball into his own net when attempting to clear.

Hereford were fortunate not to be two goals adrift nine minutes later when Paul Buckle's free-kick was flicked on to Moxey who volleyed over.

Hereford had failed to make much use of the gale-force conditions in the first period but Exeter seemed determined not to make the same mistake as the second-half began.

The Grecians piled forward in numbers and Steve Flack had the ball in the net again on 57 minutes only to see his strike ruled out for offside.

But just when it seemed as if the game was slipping away, the Bulls found themselves on level terms.

Taylor made an ill-advised attempt to head towards 'keeper Martin Rice who made a complete hash of trying to pick the ball up, ending up flat on his back as Stansfield slipped his shot into an empty net.

But five minutes later Hereford were behind again. To the bemusement of their team and fans, Graham Hyde was penalised 25 yards out and Taylor lifted his free-kick over the wall and into the net, giving Craig Mawson no chance.

David Brown saw a fine 20-yarder parried away by Rice as Hereford staged a late raid but the visitors held on in relative comfort for their fourth successive win.

Hereford: Mawson 6, Travis 6, *Mkandawire 8, James 7, Robinson 6, Purdie (Green 10, 6), Hyde 7, Pitman 6, Stanley 5 (Carey-Bertram 74), Stansfield 7, Brown 6. Subs not used: Tretton, Scott, Smith.

Attendance: 3,978.