Bulls return to League

Below is how Simon Fudge saw the game for Sky Sports:

Hereford United have joined Accrington Stanley in winning promotion to The Football League after a 3-2 extra-time win over Halifax Town.

Graham Turner's Bulls twice came from a goal down to send the Nationwide Conference play-off final to extra time, as Lewis Killeen and John Grant's goals were cancelled out by Hereford's Andy Williams and Guy Ipoua.

That allowed Ryan Green to score only his second goal of the season in extra time to end Hereford's nine-year spell in non-league football.

In a late afternoon kick-off at Leicester City's Walkers Stadium, it was Halifax that started well, with Killeen and Ryan Sugden forcing early saves from goalkeeper Wayne Brown.

The Shaymen then had appeals for a penalty waved away after Hereford captain Tamika Mkandawire handled the ball in his own box before Halifax's defenders were upset with Simon Travis's alleged dive over goalkeeper Jon Kennedy's outstretched arms at the other end.

The Bulls came back into the match and forced Kennedy to save efforts from Craig Stanley and Williams, while Rob Purdey struck woefully wide when in a dangerous position.

The deadlock was broken on 27 minutes, as a poor Hereford clearance saw the ball fall into the path of Killeen and his slicing right-foot strike eluded Brown to give Halifax the lead.

That lasted just seven minutes, as Hereford levelled matters when an unmarked Williams headed home Adam Stansfield's well-placed cross from the right at the far post.

The Bulls finished the half the stronger, with Kennedy saving a close-range Purdey header and a strike from Andy Ferrell.

The second half saw Sugden go close for Halifax with a curling effort, while Kennedy had to be alert to stop efforts from Stansfield and Purdey.

Then Hereford had a penalty claim waved away after Purdey was brought down in the box by Tyrone Thompson before Stansfield somehow missed the target with a close-range header.

With the match well poised, The Shaymen regained the lead on 73 minutes as a fine run and cross from Killeen was redirected home by substitute Grant.

Hereford, however, kept their nerve and equalised again seven minutes later, as another substitute in Ipoua powerfully headed home Travis's cross from the right for 2-2.

It meant the match went to extra time, with Stansfield hitting Halifax's side-netting before Ipoua struck wide in the first 15-minute period.

Then, three minutes into the second period, The Bulls took the lead for the first time as Green neatly placed a curling shot past Kennedy to send the Hereford fans into raptures.

Despite six added minutes of injury time and chances at both ends, Hereford celebrated booking their place back in The Football League.

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