The game began in bright sunshine in front of a good crowd and it was Rovers that had the first chance as Ash Fuller drove forward up the left-hand channel, he cut the ball back to the waiting Jake Newman. The forward was challenged at the point of contact and the ball span back to Ben Shepherd on the edge of the box and the midfielder curled an effort wide in the second minute. Five minutes later and the visitors had their first effort on goal. A cross was floated in, over the head of John Mills, but fell to Preen, who saw his effort blocked and held by Martin Conway. At the midway point of the half, Rovers saw a glorious chance come and go. A long free kick was sent forward by Fuller toward Jamaine Ivy. The forward couldn’t stretch enough to get contact on the ball with the keeper advancing to check the danger. As the rain began to pour down, Hereford started to show their pedigree. A series of half chances and dangerous crosses came and went before they took the lead with seven minutes to go before half time. A clever turn in the area by John Mills allowed the forward to lay back to Preen, who unleashed a bullet into the bottom corner to the obvious delight of the fans braving the deluge behind the goal. Hereford could’ve doubled their lead on the stroke of half time, Preen powered past the Rovers defence to send in a cross, headed just wide by Mills. Rovers were reduced to long shots by the end of the half, Seb Simpson firing wide from twenty-five yards in first half stoppage time was as close as the hosts came.
As early as the first minute of the second half, Hereford should’ve doubled the advantage; a goal bound header was blocked on the line by their own man. But they didn’t have to wait long, just four minutes into the half a penalty was awarded after full back Bowden surged into the area and was bundled to the ground. Mills stepped up and put the ball low and straight down the middle, leaving Conway diving to his right. Hereford pressed further and in the fifty-sixth-minute a cross from Oates was headed at goal only for Rovers to block on the line. The visitors did extend their lead; again, from the penalty spot in the sixty fourth minute after Kyal McNulty was adjudged to have tripped Mills. Several Hereford fans near the press box remarked that it was a harsh decision, although McNulty did seem to get to the ball but possibly after getting the man. He earned a yellow card for his trouble. Mills stepped up again, this time taking aim to Conway’s right as the keeper dived the wrong way for three nil. Rovers rallied and in the sixty seventh minute had the clearest sight of goal of the game, when Fuller’s cross found a flying Grant Fryer. The defender’s header was heading for the top corner only to be denied by a flying acrobatic save from Horsell in the Hereford goal. With fifteen minutes to go Jake Newman was shown a yellow card for a suspected handball, shortly before Mills tried to get himself a hattrick. He turned in the area and was about to pull the trigger when Fryer extended a leg to block the shot. It was Mills’ last involvement as he was replaced before the corner by Smith. Hereford poured forward in search of fourth and it duly came in stoppage time, a long ball over the top found sub Smith, he latched onto the ball and advanced on the Rovers goal before slipping a shot under Conway and in. Rovers fans raised a cry of “we’re going to win five four” but there was no time for the miracle comeback. Hereford advance to the next round, the stage they reached in last year’s competition, Rovers left the field to rapturous applause from the home fans for the effort and endeavour they showed in the face of their illustrious opponents. It’s back to Southern League action next weekend, as Kempston travel to Marlow.