ACE MILLS OPENS THE DOR FOR THE BULLS
HEREFORD staged a strong second-half fightback to notch their fifth straight league win.
Two goals from John Mills – one a penalty – and one apiece from Keyon Reffell and Lance Smith completed a second-half turnaround after home skipper Jimmy Oates had headed into his own net.
“In the first half Dorchester had more running in their legs and seemed to want it more,” said Hereford boss Pete Beadle.
“Credit to them – they took their chance well and caused us a few problems.
“But we came out in the second half with more zip and zest and a bit more tempo to our game.
“We felt that once we had got the first goal we could go on and get a couple more and so it proved.”
Dorchester could have scored on four minutes when Martin Horsell fumbled a David Jerrard shot only for Phil Ormrod to put the rebound wide.
Five minutes later, a speculative cross from Aaron Rodriguez found Hereford skipper Oates trying to clear but he planted his header into the roof of his own net.
Horsell pulled off a low save from Ormrod and Jerrard fired a great chance wide as the visitors looked to increase their lead.
The Hereford attack, in contrast, was scarcely evident with the best opening created down the left by James Bowen and Garyn Preen, whose cross was just in front of the onrushing Smith.
Everything changed, however, after the break.
On 56 minutes, Smith let fly from the edge of the area and his shot took a big deflection before looping over Chris Weale.
Six minutes later, Mills got up to score from the spot after being brought down by Ormrod. And then, five further minutes on, Reffell scored the goal of the game, winning the ball in midfield and racing through to slip a neat shot past Weale.
Mills rounded things off 15 minutes from time when he received a pass from Oates and turned the defence inside out before scoring with a fierce crossshot.
“We had great organisation and energy to our game in the first half and what is worrying is where that energy went at halftime,” said Town boss Steve Thompson.
“The halves were so different, it’s hard to put your finger on it. They looked some very tired boys in the second half.”
STAR MAN: Keynon Reffell (Hereford) ENTERTAINMENT: