HEREFORD FC progressed through to the last-16 of the FA Trophy after two first-half goals were enough to see them past Torquay.

Tom Pugh’s fine free-kick from the edge of the box gave the Bulls a 20th minute lead, before Yusifu Ceesay made it 2-0 from the penalty spot.

Debutante Tope Obedeyi thought he had opened his account with Hereford in the eighth minute when he tapped in Aurio Teixeira’s squared ball, but the offside flag was controversially raised and the goal was chalked off.

An opportunity then fell to Nathan Cameron when Teixeira’s effort from outside the area deflected into his path, but goalkeeper Mark Halstead was quick off his line to make the save.

Hereford took a 20th minute lead after a foul on Ceesay at the edge of the box allowed Pugh to step up and curl the ball into the top right hand corner of Halstead’s net.

The Bulls were on the front foot and Ceesay saw his free-kick from a tight angle strike the outside of the post before landing out of play with the Torquay goalkeeper rooted to the ground.

Paul Caddis’ side doubled their advantage eight minutes from half-time when Ceesay converted from the penalty spot after Lassana Mendes was clearly brought down in the box by Archie Harris.

The hosts could have sealed the win on 54 minutes when a quickly taken free-kick by Pugh found the run of Mendes, who was bearing down on goal before Halstead was sharp off his line once more to claim the ball.

At the other end a Torquay corner fell to the feet of Dean Moxey on the edge of the box, but the defender could only lash his effort over the crossbar.

The visitors went close again on 75 minutes when Brett McGavin picked the pocket of Teixeira on the halfway line and the ball fell kindly to Asa Hall whose attempted lob of Curtis Pond landed just wide of the post.

McGavin then caught his free-kick well from 25 yards out with nine minutes remaining but Pond was equal to the effort and held onto the ball well, leaving Hereford to progress into the next round.

Hereford: Pond, Skinner, Teixeira, Ceesay (Walby 90+1), Pugh, Obadeyi (Tolley 75), Mendes, Southern, Rooney, Cameron, Howkins (Livingstone 45)

Unused Subs: Sterry, Derricot