HEREFORD endured a nervous last few minutes before seeing off League Two bottom club Darlington at Edgar Street.

Defenders Darren Jones and Keith Lowe fired in the goals which will take the Bulls into next Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Sutton United in good heart.

Hereford made a promising start and Pugh should have done better on three minutes when he brought down a cross from King but was unable to get any power into his shot from six yards out.

King himself should have opened the scoring two minutes later, racing on to a pass from Manset but drilling his shot wide of the target from a great position.

But Darlington had an even better opportunity to take the lead minutes later when Jeff Smith’s cross picked out Simon Thomas at the far post only for the striker to volley over from close range.

Then Bulls keeper Adam Bartlett had to dive to block a shot from James Collins as Darlington had the better of the exchanges.

Hereford hit back and Manset capped an excellent run with a cross which picked out Pugh, whose shot was deflected behind by Paul Arnison for Hereford’s first corner.

Another powerful run by Manset ended in a cross which saw Marshall’s shot blocked by a defender and dribble through to keeper Nick Liversedge.

Hereford’s second corner saw Jones volley high over when Marshall’s cross reached him at the far post. The Bulls were still having trouble forcing Liversedge to actually make a save despite good possession and Kenny Lunt was no better, firing high over from 20 yards after 39 minutes.

The goal, when it came arrived from an unlikely source. Lunt’s high cross reached Pugh and he slipped the ball inside to Lowe, who cracked a left-foot shot high into the net.

The Bulls, though, had a fortunate escape just before the interval when Jones retrieved the situation after the Bulls defence got in a tangle when Thomas got his head to a Convery cross.

But Ryan Valentine came close to emulating his full-back colleague Lowe in first-half injury-time with a curing effort which just cleared the bar.

The Bulls increased their lead two minutes into the second period. Valentine’s free-kick was flicked on by Manset to Jones who brought the ball under control before hammering home.

Valentine was the provider when Hereford should have put the game beyond doubt two minutes later, delivering a cross which Marshall somehow headed wide from five yards out. Marshall got an effort on target moments later but Liversedge dived to parry away his 20-yard effort.

Liversedge was in the action again on 58 minutes, diving to save after a good run and shot by Manset. The young Frenchman went close again on 70 minutes, firing a right-foot effort narrowly over after an astute pass from King.

But three minutes later, the Hereford defence was caught out when James Collins cracked home from 12 yards. And it could have been worse for the Bulls within 60 seconds when Bartlett saved superbly from Matty Plummer’s header from a Smith cross.

The Bulls were living dangerously and Bartlett pulled off another good save to put Mor Diop’s shot behind for a corner.

Hereford, after being under the cosh for several minutes, should have been awarded a penalty on the stroke of full-time when Marshall was pulled back in the area.

But the final whistle, when it arrived after four nervous extra minutes, was received with relief by the Hereford fans.

Hereford: Bartlett, Lowe, Jones, Blanchett, Valentine, Marshall, Lunt, Gwynne (Sonko, 62 min), Pugh (Godsmark, 87 min), Manset, King. Subs not used: Adamson, Rose, Constantine, Done, McCallum.

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 2,238.