AFC Telford 3 Hereford United 1 (friendly)

No-one should get too excited by pre-season results and there are plenty of sides who have come a cropper after some fabulous friendly performances.

But the ease with which AFC Telford United despatched a full-strength League Two squad last night can only be encouraging for the fans with the start of the Blue Square Bet Premier season now less than three weeks away.

Telford were ahead inside three minutes when Hereford defender Jason Kovacs was harshly judged to have handled an Adam Proudlock shot, even though the ball was blasted at him from point-blank range.

Sean Newton took the resulting spot-kick, sending keeper Adam Bartlett the wrong way.

The Bucks looked the more threatening throughout the first half and could have doubled their lead just short of the half hour when a goal-bound shot from Proudlock was well saved by Bartlett.

The home fans didn't have long to wait though, the second goal arriving courtesy of a stunning 25-yard free-kick from Nathan Rooney after a foul on Proudlock by the unfortunate Kovacs.

Hereford came more into the contest at the start of the second half, though Phil Trainer was within inches of adding a third for the Bucks on 53 minutes with a long-range effort that fizzed wide.

Telford continued to press and made it three on 67 minutes with a fine, flowing move.

Substitute Richard Davies played a raking pass out to James Reid on the right and he ghosted past one defender and drove a shot that Bartlett could only parry, presenting Andy Brown with a simple tap-in.

As the hosts continued to dominate, Craig King rattled the post and Newton forced Bartlett into an acrobatic save with a looping shot from the left.

Hereford grabbed a consolation nine minutes from time when a curling Tyler Weir effort struck the post and Delroy Facey drilled in the rebound.

And they could have had a second straight after, Telford keeper Ryan Young saving well from Hereford's new French striker Yoann Arquin.

The Bulls continued to press in the closing stages, Arquin again forcing Young into action – but Telford were worthy winners.

By CHRIS HUDSON