A GOAL more than three minutes into added time from John-Joe O’Toole eliminated unlucky Hereford United from the FA Cup.

The Bulls had looked good value for a replay after holding League One outfit Colchester United throughout the match.

Boss John Trewick included on-loan Birmingham City youngster Jordon Mutch for a debut in the Hereford midfield for this second round clash.

Mutch took the place of Sam Gwynne in an otherwise unchanged Bulls line-up.

Nathaniel Wedderburn, who has joined on loan from Stoke City, was named among the substitutes.

Mutch made an early impression with a surging run from midfield before releasing the ball to Leon Constantine whose shot swerved so wide it went out for a throw-in.

Shortly afterwards, a speculative effort from Gavin McCallum from wide out clipped the top of the bar on its way out of play.

Mutch might have done better on eight minutes when he volleyed high over when Craig King’s cross picked him out on the edge of the area.

Colchester raced down to the other end and it took a fine parry from Adam Bartlett to prevent Steven Gillespie from opening the scoring.

Bartlett was in the action again moments later, diving to hold a shot from Kayode Odejayi.

Interplay between Constantine and Ryan Valentine forced the first corner for Hereford on 12 minutes but Danny Blanchett’s flag-kick came to nothing.

At the other end, Kenny Lunt did well to nod Odejayi’s header from a Simon Hackney header off the goalline.

O’Toole then steered a shot wide after a promising run by Kevin Lisbie.

With plenty of attacking play at both ends, Hereford were next to threaten with McCallum’s well-struck shot held by keeper Ben Williams. But Gillespie might have done better when he headed a Hackney cross into the side-netting.

Hereford, however, were soon back on the attack and a long-range effort from Darren Jones was acrobatically tipped over by Williams.

The frequency of chances diminished as the interval approached but it was still difficult to choose between the sides in terms of possession achieved.

Hereford replaced the ineffective Lunt with Gwynne at the interval when Colchester introduced tall striker Clive Platt to reinforce their front-line.

Ten minutes into the period, Mutch sent Ryan Valentine away on the left and the wing-back’s cross clipped the top of the bar on its way out.

The arrival of Mathieu Manset provoked a surge of activity in the Colchester area and McCallum had a shot pushed away for a corner.

McCallum, who was proving a handful for the visitors’ defence, then wriggled clear on the edge of the area and drove in a 67th minute shot which was parried to safety by Williams.

Colchester forced three successive corners but were unable to make any of them count.

But, in the 82nd minute, the visitors broke out at speed and a cross-shot from Platt skimmed just past the goal.

Hereford were not finished, though, and an excellent run by the rangy Mutch ended with Gwynne shooting high over.

Mutch also tried his luck from distance as the clock ran down but the effort drifted a long way wide.

But, eight seconds beyond the allotted three minutes of stoppage time, Anthony Wordsworth got away on the left and dragged the ball back for the onrushing O’Toole to slide the ball into the corner of the net.

Hereford: Bartlett; Green, Jones, Blanchett; Lowe, Mutch, Lunt (Gwynne 46), Valentine; King (Pugh 87); Constantine (Manset 61), McCallum. Subs not used: Adamson, Rose, Wedderburn, Done.

Colchester: Williams; White, Reid, Okuonghae, Tierney; Lisbie, Izzet, O’Toole, Hackney (Platt 46); Gillespie (Wordsworth 75), Odejayi (Ifil 69). Subs not used: Cousins, Heath, Batth, Thomas.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).

Attendance: 2,225.