Shrewsbury: Garner, Herd, Langmead, Tierney, Meredith (Cooke 76), Darren Moss (Leslie 64), Hall, McIntyre, Pugh (Humphrey 70), Constable, Madjo.

Subs Not Used: Bevan, Hunt.

Booked: Constable.

Goals: Hall 6.

Hereford: Brown, McClenahan, McCombe, Beckwith, Rose, Johnson, Smith, Gleeson, Easton (Threlfall 85), MacDonald (Robinson 81), Hooper (Benjamin 87).

Subs Not Used: Ingham, Taylor.

Booked: Beckwith.

Goals: Johnson 27, Hooper 67.

Ref: Uriah Rennie (S Yorkshire).
Assistant Referee (yellow) G Brittain
Assistant Referee (plain) S Artis
Fourth Official R Booth

Attendance: 7402/1655

Gary Peters is forced into making changes with Colin Murdock suspended and Darran Kempson out with a shin problem, in comes James Meredith to make his debut for Town. With Ben Davies still missing through injury Kelvin Langmead started his first game as Town captain.

Hereford created the best openings in the first 5-minutes with Sherjill MacDonald and Gary Hooper combining well but MacDonald put his first shot wide and his second dipped just over.

It was the home side who struck first after the lively Guy Madjo gained possession deep in the Hereford half, he then put a superb ball that split the Hereford defence and put Asa Hall in on goal and the young midfielder kept his cool to slot the ball past Brown and give Town the lead.

Town were just in front in the possession and play stakes with 20-minutes on the clock. They were looking to get the ball into the front two of Madjo and Constable quickly and this was creating some decent openings around the Bulls box.

Hereford had been fairly quiet but the pace of Johnson and in particular MacDonald looked like it could hurt Town. On a couple of occasions MacDonald's pace took him past Herd and Langmead but the Town defence was working well to cover and work as a unit.

The visitors got back onto level terms on 29-minutes with a move that started with MacDonald's pace taking him into space down the right, he pulled the ball back across to find Hooper who got a shot in which Garner pulled off a fantastic save at point blank, the ball dropped and Garner pushed the ball away to the left of the goal but it dropped to Simon Johnson who drove his shot across the goal and into the net at the far post.

Town were looking more dangerous as the half-time break approached and won a strong of corners after some good pressure. The final one saw Marc Pugh zip a ball into the back post that was solidly met by Kelvin Langmead but his header flew over the bar.

Half-time: 1-1

Gary Hooper had a decent chance of putting the Bulls into the lead after he picked up the ball outside the Town box, he then found some to drill in a low shot but Garner was equal to it and got down smartly at the foot of his post to smoother the ball.

James Constable showed some great skills after Madjo, Pugh and Meredith had combined well on the left to put pressure onto the Hereford defence, Meredith then delivered a low ball to Constable who spun his marker Beckwith before curling in shot that flew wide at the far post.

Hereford were looking dangerous whenever they got the ball around the Town box and Garner was pulling off some decent saves. He had to be alert after the ball was chipped over to the back post to find Easton, he looked to get the ball under control but Garner was quickly out to snatch the ball.

With half an hour of the game remaining Gary Peters made his first change bringing on Steve Leslie to replace Darren Moss, Leslie went onto the left with Marc Pugh pushing out to the right.

Guy Madjo had a good chance after good work on the right from Ben Herd saw him deliver a decent cross, Asa Hall made a nuisance of himself and the ball dropped to Madjo, he just couldn't get it under control and skewed his shot wide of the target.

Hereford took the lead on 65-minutes after Simon Johnson found a lot of space through the middle, he kept his run going and then delivered a ball to the back post to find MacDonald who put a header back across the goal that Gary Hooper stabbed out a foot to help the ball in at the back post.

Gary Peters then made his second change of the afternoon brining on Chris Humphrey to replace Marc Pugh.

Town were inches away from levelling after a blistering run from Chris Humphrey saw him come in field and then get the ball out to Ben Herd on the right, he put over a great cross to the back post to find Leslie, he headed the ball back to set-up McIntyre who hit in a first time shot that had Brown rooted to the spot but it flew inches wide at the far post.

With just under 15-minutes left on the clock Gary Peters made his final change bringing on Andy Cooke to replaced James Meredith, Town went to three at the back with Tierney, Langmead and Herd and Cooke joined the forward line.

Town had another decent chance to get back on level terms with 5-minutes to go, Andy Cooke showed good strength the win the ball and then take it down the right, he then looped over a decent cross that found Madjo rising at the back post but his header went wide of the target.

Town were continuing to push looking for the equaliser and right at the death they nearly got it, the ball dropped to Asa Hall who then pushed it to set-up Andy Cooke; he smashed in a shot that was goal bound until it hit Constable in the face and then flew away from the goal.

Full-time: 1-2