ON-FIRE loan marksman Sherjill MacDonald fired Hereford to a memorable League Two victory at Spotland tonight.

The Holland Under 21 international fired a first-half hat-trick in just 17 minutes and Gary Hooper's second-half strike applied the coup de grace for the Bulls.

Hereford, who were already without Dean Beckwith (hip), suffered a further blow in the warm-up.

Skipper Ben Smith had a groin problem and withdrew from the side in favour of Kris Taylor.

Then they fell behind after only five minutes when Simon Ramsden bundled home Rochdale's first corner, taken by Adam Rundle.

But Hereford levelled eight minutes later when Hooper charged down an attempted clearance and squared for MacDonald to sidefoot home.

Soon after, MacDonald held off a defender as he received Clint Easton's pass and clipped a shot past keeper Sam Russell.

The hat-trick was not long in coming when Simon Johnson's cross flashed though a crowd of players to MacDonald who blasted in his third.

Rochdale had the better of the possession as the interval approached and were unfortunate not to reduce the arrears three minutes before the break.

Adam Le Fondre seized on a deflected shot from David Perkins but his effort came back off a post.

Even then, Hereford squandered two great chances, both created by MacDonald and wastefully missed by Hooper.

Rochdale pressed forward as the second-half began but struggled against an immaculate Bulls defence.

There was an anxious moment when Wayne Brown tipped a Perkins cross on to a post but, almost immediately, Hereford broke away to score their fourth.

Hooper picked up the ball on the edge of the area, rounded a defender and cracked in his third goal in as many games.

Deep into injury-time, Rochdale gained a measure of consolation when Rene Howe headed in a Kallum Higginbotham cross.

Hereford: Brown; McClenahan, Collins, McCombe, Rose; Johnson, Taylor, Diagouraga (Gwynne 54), Easton; MacDonald (Robinson 81), Hooper. Subs not used: Ingham, Broadhurst, Benjamin.

Attendance: 2,884.