HEREFORD United boss Graham Turner has heralded the attitude of Sherjill MacDonald after the loan star marked his debut with two goals.

The 23-year-old Dutch striker joined the Bulls just hours before Saturday's match against Dagenham and Redbridge.

MacDonald did not meet his new team-mates until lunch-time and had not trained with them after signing for a month from Championship side West Brom.

But he was handed a place in the starting line-up alongside fellow loanee Gary Hooper and showed his worth by scoring twice in a 4-1 League Two victory.

MacDonald netted in the ninth and 67th minutes, either side of Hooper's goal and Simon Johnson's penalty.

"It's never easy," Turner said. "Sherjill MacDonald met the players at a pre-match meal at 12pm on the day of the game.

"It's not easy not having been on the training ground so to go and score a couple of goals was a credit to him."

Turner has worked wonders with the loan system this season and has six players on a temporary basis, four until the end of the season.

Southend striker Hooper and MacDonald are due to return to their parent clubs after a month but Theo Robinson, Toumani Diagouraga, Lee Collins and Robbie Threlfall are all at Hereford until the end of the season.

With only five loan players allowed in the matchday squad of 16, Turner could be faced with a selection headache later in the campaign.

However, defender Threlfall is likely to miss tonight's trip to Rochdale (7.45) as he steps up his recovery from an ankle injury.

United head to Spotland full of confidence following Saturday's victory and the 1-0 win at Rotherham the week before.

Turner added: "After two particularly disappointing results against Barnet and Chesterfield in the live Sky game, the only way was to bounce back.

"We had a difficult game at Rotherham but I thought we were very disciplined and, on Saturday, I thought we played very controlled and composed football.

"I thought we played very well going forward but not so good defensively. We passed the ball well."

Defender Dean Beckwith is struggling with a hip injury and is a doubt but Robinson returns after a one-match ban.