JAKE HULL’S goal nine minutes from time proved to be decisive as Hereford fell to a 2-1 defeat at Buxton.

Jordan Burrow gave the home side the lead before Jason Cowley converted a penalty to level the score, but with nine minutes remaining Hull stepped up and grabbed the winner.

Buxton were close to opening the scoring after 15 minutes when debutant loanee Alex Gibson-Hammond’s driven shot from outside the box flew just wide of the post.

Hereford broke quickly in the 27th minute and when Cowley pulled the ball back for Yusifu Ceesay in the box, Buxton’s Max Dearnley was forced into producing a fine save to deny the winger.

The 29th minute saw Burrow bear down on goal after the referee had waived away Hereford claims of a foul on Southern, but the striker couldn’t direct his subsequent effort goalwards.

Buxton took the lead after 40 minutes when Curtis Pond could only parry Connor Kirby’s effort into the path of Burrow who tapped in to make it 1-0.

The Bulls were level 15 minutes after half-time when Ceesay was brought down inside the Buxton box resulting in a penalty, allowing Cowley to step up and send Dearnley the wrong way from the spot.

Hereford had an opportunity to take the lead in the 68th minute when Alex Babos’ free-kick found Paul Downing inside the box but the defender couldn’t direct his header on target.

The Bucks were close to grabbing their second goal in the 72nd minute when Jak McCourt’s curling effort from the edge of the area snuck just wide of the post.

Buxton had the lead with nine minutes remaining after McCourt’s free-kick found Hull inside the box who headed the ball past Pond and into the back of the net.

Hereford nearly salvaged a point at the death when Downing’s header from a free-kick found Freemantle at the back post but he was denied at point blank range by a fine Dearnley save.

Hereford: Pond, Skinner, Livingstone, Teixeira, Downing, Ceesay, Babos, Cowley, Southern, Rooney (Freemantle 85), Arthur (Tolley 61)

Unused Subs: Cranston, Pugh, Mendes