HEREFORD are back in second place in the Coca-Cola League Two table after a convincing success against their Shropshire rivals.

It was only their second success in league action against Shrewsbury and none of the Hereford team were born on the last occasion that the Bulls were victorious.

Way back then, in April 1976, United chief Graham Turner was the key man at the heart of the Shrewsbury defence.

Hereford made one change in the absence of the suspended Toumani Diagouraga.

Kris Taylor took the on-loan Watford player's spot in the centre of midfield with Richard Rose returning at left-back.

Hereford controlled the early stages despite playing against a blustery wind.

In the 13th minute, excellent work by Simon Johnson provided a cross which Mark Tierney took off the toe of Sam Gwynne as the youngster was about to shoot.

Then Trevor Benjamin laid the ball into the path of Johnson whose curling effort was parried away by keeper Glyn Garner before Kelvin Langmead booted the ball to safety.

Shrewsbury's counter attack occasionally flashed into life and from one these raids the visitors took the lead on 31 minutes.

Andy Cooke rolled the ball into the path of Keith Briggs who marked his debut by firing home a shot which deflected past Wayne Brown off Dean Beckwith.

Benjamin was felled in the area by Langmead but referee Mark Haywood waved play on and, when Ben Smith fired a shot against a post shortly afterwards, Hereford must have thought their luck was right out.

But then, four minutes before the break, Theo Robinson fell over the legs of Tierney as the ball was heading out of play and this time Haywood pointed to the spot.

Benjamin sent Garner the wrong way with the penalty.

After being outplayed for most of the first-half, Shrewsbury enjoyed some better moments at the start of the second period and almost regained the lead on 67 minutes.

From Kevin McIntyre's corner, Langmead headed powerfully goalwards only for the diminutive Gwynne to leap and head the ball off the line.

Hereford then had more fortune at the other end with a corner of their own.

Beckwith raced in to make contact with Taylor's flag-kick and the ball went into the net off a defender.

Hereford, settled by the goal, began to pile the pressure on the visitors and it paid dividends on 79 minutes.

Smith's astute pass found Johnson and the winger, who has agreed a deal to remain at Edgar Street until the end of the season, produced an accurate finish to send the ball into the corner of the net.

Johnson almost added a fourth just afterwards when he received another fine Smith pass only to drive his effort just wide.

Hereford continued to hold sway after that but had to be content with a 3-1 scoreline, a repeat of their only other league success all those years ago.

Hereford: Brown; McClenahan, Collins, Beckwith, Rose; Gwynne, Smith, Taylor, Johnson; Benjamin, Robinson.Subs not used: Ingham, Broadhurst, McCombe, Palmer, Fitzpatrick.

Referee: Mark Haywood (Yorkshire).

Attendance: 4,707 (including 928 from Shrewsbury).