LYDNEY Town were comprehensively beaten by an extremely well-organised Hereford side in front of a record crowd at the Recreation Ground.

Over 700 fans turned out to watch the phoenix club thump Town 6-1, but the scoreline wasn’t a true reflection of the test Lydney provided to the visitors.

Town boss Mark Lee remarked after the match he was pleased with his side’s shape for the opening 20 minutes, when it was a goalless affair.

But the side tipped by many to replace Cinderford Town on the Southern League Division One South & West throne would not be denied, as Rory Huntbach made it 1-0 after following up a shot saved by Rich Thomas.

Former Cheltenham Town winger Jamaal Lawrence made it 2-0 after 32 minutes and the score remained the same until after the break.

What really killed the game off was the decision of Hereford manager Peter Beadle – who had earlier opened Town’s new 100-capacity stand – to make six substitutions on the hour mark. Beadle introduced more of the visitors’ regulars, including 50-goal forward John Mills, who turned the screw on Lydney.

Mills made it 3-0 having taken just two touches. The first was to set up the shot that followed and rasped past Thomas in the Lydney goal.

Ten minutes later, a wonder goal from Mason Lewis, on loan from Gloucester City, saw the left-back storm through the Hereford midfield and wide into the box, where he clipped the ball past Harris.

Lee added he would have been pleased with 3-1, but with 20 minutes to go, Hereford’s quality shone. Mills bagged two more to complete his hat-trick either side of a blunder by Thomas, as he bundled the ball into his own net from a Ross Staley cross.

The match was not without positives for Lydney, despite the result. Jamie Addis put in a decent performance for 76 minutes following a long injury lay-off, and forward Pat Gibbs played a part having sustained a serious knee injury last summer that ended his season before it began.

Liam Sheppard, who has signed a dual-registration deal with Cinderford, impressed in midfield, while Lewis’ up-and-down athleticism was remarked upon fondly by many of the visiting fans.