HEREFORD ended up well beaten in their League One clash at Boundary Park.

But, once again, they were made to pay for their inability to finish and for defensive errors.

Hereford got away to an awful start after gifting the opening goal to the home side. Goalkeeper Darren Randolph spilled Daniel Jones’ effort at the feet of Lee Hughes and the former Kidderminster Harriers player slipped the ball into the net.

Hereford should have been back on terms when Andy Williams skipped past a defender and pulled the ball back to Toumani Diagouraga whose weak shot was blocked.

Referee Rob Shoebridge handed the Latics a chance to extend their lead on the quarter-hour. Hughes and Bruno N’Gotty were shadowing the ball on the right of the penalty area when their feet tangled and Hughes hit the deck. Shoebridge pointed to the spot and Andy Liddell did the rest.

Hereford continued to build-up neatly without finding a way through and it was the home side who scored again on 36 minutes.

Richard Jackson’s lack of pace was exposed when Jones sped on to a Chris Taylor pass and scored.

Hereford’s luck was out a minute before the interval when Kris Taylor’s free-kick from 20 yards smacked against the bar.

Jones somehow prevented Simon Johnson from getting the decisive touch to Richard Rose’s far post cross and Taylor saw a shot deflected over for a corner.

United’s afternoon spiralled further downhill when Stephen O’Leary committed two bookable offences inside three minutes to earn the Bulls’ first red card of the season.

Then, in the final minute, Danny Whitaker ran in unchallenged to shoot in off a post.

Hereford: Randolph, Jackson, Broadhurst, N’Gotty, Rose, Hudson-Odoi (Johnson, 30 min), O’Leary, Diagouraga, Taylor, Williams, Guinan. Subs not used: Samson, Smith, Chadwick, Beckwith.

Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire).

Attendance: 5,468.