HEREFORD United finally achieved their first League Two away win of the season tonight after battling back from the shock of conceding a goal on 29 seconds.

The memory of the Bulls’ last victory on the road — at Carlisle in March — seemed so distant that the only player on the pitch from that night was ex-Bull Steve Guinan, who led the Northampton attack.

Darren Jones fired the Bulls level with Frenchman Mathieu Manset scoring his first league goal and sub Craig King adding the third.

Top-scorer Marc Pugh, Manset and Jonny Godsmark were all restored to the team with loanee Nathaniel Wedderburn handed a start in midfield.

But Hereford made an awful start when Adebayo Akinfenwa raced away down the right before his cross was dummied by Guinan and thumped into the net by Ryan Gilligan.

Hereford took time to re-group but gradually found their touch and levelled on 15 minutes.

Jordon Mutch’s corner bounced around the Cobblers’ penalty area before being thumped into the net by defender Jones.

Both sides continued to attack and, after a dangerous Godsmark cross was caught by Chris Dunn, Adam Bartlett parried a fierce Andy Holt shot at the other end.

Hereford should have gone ahead on 31 minutes when Godsmark drove Pugh’s cross wide from a yard out.

They had a scare seven minutes before the break when Bartlett grabbed the ball after it ricocheted off Akinfenwa’s shin close in.

Teenagers Mutch and Wedderburn, who had shown a good deal of promise in midfield, both hit shots wide of the target in the lead-up to the interval.

Guinan had the ball in the net three minutes into the second-half but was ruled offside.

But the Bulls took the lead with 11 minutes of the second period played.

Mutch’s free-kick from 35 yards was too hot for Dunn to hold and Manset headed in.

Hereford added to their lead on 75 minutes when Pugh got away on the left and picked out substitute King who fired home.

Hereford: Bartlett; Jones, Green, Valentine; Lowe, Wedderburn, Mutch, Valentine; Godsmark (King 66), Manset, Pugh. Subs not used: Adamson, Rose, Gwynne, McCallum, Constantine, Done.

Attendance: 3,524.