Sixth home defeat in a row for Blyth Spartans

Ryan McLean pounced on a short back pass to slot Hereford ahead after seven minutes, before Tom Owen-Evans doubled the visitors lead on 15 minutes. He then grabbed a deflected third on the half-hour mark as the visitors threatened to run riot.

Lewis McNall gave Spartans hope as he scored on the stroke of half-time but that was quickly extinguished as Harry Pinchard restored the three-goal deficit just five minutes into the second-half.

After the game a disappointed manager Terry Mitchell said: “The lads are extremely disappointed.

"A lot of individual errors have cost us dearly and we have to cut them out.”

The defeat leaves Blyth struggling in 20th (out of 22 teams) at the foot of the National League North table.

With nine wins and three draws from their 34 games played they have 30 points, just three more than bottom side Guiseley on 27. Telford United are also on 30 with Farsley Celtic on 29.

"We are in a difficult position, we accept that, but we have to work hard to get ourselves out of it,” said Mitchell.

"There is still a way to go yet before the end of the season. We have eight games left to play and are capable of getting ourselves away from the bottom.”

Mitchell says he still has confidence in his players.

"We have had some really good results against top teams,. We have beaten sides in the top eight, but we are in a bit of a slump,” he added. "When we play teams around us we have to make sure we get it right.

"We have created some decent chances and have been positive in the second half, but we have to cut out individual mistakes and that is something we have to look at in training.”

Spartans’ next game is away to Boston on Saturday and Mitchell says he is expecting another tough game aganst a side pushing for the play-offs.

"But we will look at ourselves first and foremost,” he said, “and we will go to Boston looking to pick up all three points, just like we do in every game.”