HEREFORD United reduced the gap at the top of the Nationwide Conference table to five points with a 3-0 victory at Telford United last night -- their 10th away win of the season.

And the three goals -- from Andy Tretton and David Brown (2) -- added to the nine they racked up at Dagenham last Friday, took their tally of away goals to 49, the most the club have ever scored in a season away from Edgar Street in their 80-year history.

Hereford had to endure some strong pressure in the first half, with Matt Baker making a couple of excellent saves.

The goalkeeper produced a brilliant parry to push away Tony Naylor's 14th minute drive and 25 minutes came up with an even better effort to push out Richard Lavery's point-blank shot.

But as the interval approached, United started to get into their stride and took the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Michael Rose swung in a corner from the left and Tretton headed goalwards with the ball creeping through a crowd of players and into the net.

It was the centre-back's first goal since he joined Hereford at the start of last season.

Another Rose corner at the start of the second period almost brought a second goal, with the full-back's flag-kick swinging across goal and thudding against the inside of a post before being cleared.

Hereford were never able to relax in the face of a lively Telford attack, aggressively spearheaded by former Bulls striker John Grant, but the three-man defence of Tretton, Tony James and Tamika Mkandawire never looked in serious trouble.

The quality attacking, however, came from Hereford with Rose again unlucky not to add to the lead after a surging run which ended in a powerful 25-yarder, acrobatically tipped around a post by Chris Mackenzie.

Rose was involved in the second goal on 80 minutes when his long throw was played on by Steve Guinan to Brown who controlled the ball before deftly hooking it over his shoulder and into the net.

Then, after Baker had saved brilliantly from Grant's long-range effort, Hereford broke swiftly out of defence with Scott Willis playing the final pass which left Brown with the task of beating Mackenzie again.

The strike took his tally of Conference goals to 13, seven of which have come in the last four games.

HEREFORD: Baker 8, Travis 7, Mkandawire 7, Tretton 8, James 8, Rose 8, Pitman 8, Willis 8, Purdie 7, Guinan 8, BROWN 9. Subs not used: Scott, Teesdale, Craven, Beesley, King.

ATTENDANCE: 2,554.