GOALS from new boy Steve O’Leary and Bradley Hudson-Odoi in an eight-minute spell at the start of the second period finally gave Hereford their first League One win of the season.
Hereford made a lively start but the recalled Darren Rand-olph was the first of the goalkeepers to see action, fielding a drive from Tom Pope.
At the other end, a thunderous drive from Kris Taylor flashed across goal and wide.
O’Leary, who had signed from Luton Town last week, showed some neat touches in the early stages and tried his luck with a 20-yarder but sent the ball high over the goal and out of the ground.
Randolph did well to block a shot from Pope before an excellent end-to-end move all-owed Matt Done to force the afternoon’s first corner.
The former Wrexham player took the flag-kick himself but the ball was cleared.
Richard Rose rescued Here-ford with an excellent challenge on Joel Grant after some less than decisive defending left the winger in the clear.
And Rose’s influence at the other end should then have brought a goal.
The full-back was sent clear by Steve Guinan and produced an excellent cross which O’Le-ary headed over.
A foul by skipper Ben Smith 25 yards out presented Billy Jones with a shooting chance but Randolph was equal to the effort.
A cross by Hudson-Odoi was blocked in the six-yard box as Hereford continued to pose an attacking threat.
But Randolph was quickly back in the action, diving to save a Pope shot.
The Bulls keeper produced an even better save moments later, flying through the air to tip over a Michael O’Conner free-kick.
Crewe did have the ball in the net four minutes before the break, Julian Baudet turning in Anthony Elding’s flick only to be ruled offside.
Hereford pressed forward at the start of the second period and were rewarded with two goals in the first 11 minutes.
After 48 minutes, a Smith cross was half-cleared to O’Leary 25 yards out and the midfielder steadied himself before curling an unstoppable shot in the top corner of the net.
Hudson-Odoi netted the second when Taylor’s cross reached O’Leary who slipped the ball inside for the former Fulham youngster to shoot home from six yards.
Hereford: Randolph, Rose, Oji, Beckwith, Taylor, Hudson-Odoi (Johnson 70), O’Leary, Smith, Diagouraga, Done (Easton 85), Guinan.
Crewe: Collis, Woodards, O’Donnell, Baudet, Jones, Moore, Bailey, O’Conner (Schumacher 66), Grant, Pope (Donaldson 66), Elding (Zola 85).
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