Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West

Slimbridge 0 Hereford 3

SLIMBRIDGE may have been defeated by the runaway league leaders in front of a record Thornhill Park crowd, but they were certainly not disgraced, as clinical finishing proved to be the difference between the two sides.

With just under 900 fans crammed into the ground, the first period of the game was evenly matched as both sides tried to adapt to a surface which cut up quickly, and it was the home side who had the first decent opportunity - Dean Turner’s effort on seven minutes drifting wide, while at the other end, Nick Grimes did well to block an effort from John Mills after Pablo Haysham had set him up.

Brad Martin went on a good run for Slimbridge on 18 minutes, hurdling three tackles, but his effort was weak and easily gathered by Bulls’ Keeper Alex Harris.

Hereford went closest to opening the scoring on 22 minutes, when Mike Symons’ header clipped the top of the bar on its way over.

After another effort from Symons that was too high, the visitors took the lead on 36 minutes, when neat play between between John Mills and Tristan Plummer set up Symons who converted past Swans’ Keeper Adam Thomas.

One minute into the second period, Joe Stokes was off target after a Lee Smith cross found him in space, and Smith himself saw his volley go over off the Hereford bar on 52 minutes.

Two goals in five minutes then effectively killed the game off - Mills converted after a scramble in the Slimbridge box 0n 54 minutes, and five minutes later, tristan Plummer made space for himself of the Swans’ left and drilled the ball past Thomas for Hereford’s third.

The last half hour saw the visitors comfortably play out time - Adam Mace had a couple of efforts for Slimbridge that came to nothing, while Plummer had a good shot blocked after good work from Mills and Bradley Williams, but the visitors secured the three points that now see them 21 points ahead of second spot in the table.

Team: Thomas, Turl, Ryan Thwaite, Grimes, Rich Thwaite, Turner, Twyman, Stokes (Cant 63), Martin (Sklenar 72), Smith, Thomas (Mace 62) Manager’s Man of the Match: Ryan Thwaite