Stafford Rangers saw off Hereford 3:2 in their FA Cup second round qualifying tie at Marston Road on Saturday. The hosts have now won three league matches in a row, adding to the momentum they built through the early part of the season. Hereford, meanwhile, have struggled for consistency with two losses and two draws in their last five outings.
And here's the thing — Stafford came into this fixture on a genuine run. They beat Kidsgrove Athletic 3:0 last weekend, had followed that with a 3:0 victory over Northampton On Cheneck, and before that a 2:0 win against Corby Town. To be fair, they had drawn 0:0 with Shrewsbury in July, but the three straight wins showed a side finding its feet.
Hereford's recent form tells a different story. They beat Bromsgrove Sporting 1:0 in August, but since then have drawn twice and lost twice, including a 0:3 defeat to Solihull Moors and a 0:2 loss to Bishop's Cleeve. By then, the visitors were clearly looking for answers, and a cup match offered a chance to regroup.
The result keeps Stafford's impressive sequence alive, while Hereford will be searching for stability after another disappointing performance. The hosts have now gone unbeaten in four matches across all competitions, a run that includes two solid victories and a hard-fought draw.
For Hereford, this is the third defeat in their last five matches, and the pattern is becoming harder to ignore. They have shown flashes — the 1:1 draw with Shrewsbury was promising — but the two losses in July suggest a side still searching for identity.