HEREFORD's slide down the League Two table continued after a disappointing display at the Frazer Eagle Stadium.

It was their fourth defeat in four Conference or League visits to Accrington and their fourth defeat on the trot, the worst run of results since 1998-9.

At the heart of United's downfall was former Bulls striker David Brown who set Stanley on the way to victory with a superbly struck 20-yard opener after 25 minutes.

But the day was a bitter-sweet one for Brown who was, extremely harshly, shown a straight red card for a late foul on Danny Thomas.

Hereford made two changes in personnel from the side which lost at Darlington as well as reverting to a 3-5-2 formation which saw the returning Phil Gulliver and Dean Beckwith line up alongside Tamika Mkandawire at the back.

But the revised formation lacked bite in midfield and was rarely able to threaten.

Hereford had a fortunate escape in the 17th minute when, from Accrington's first corner of the match, Godwin Antwi's powerful header from Sean Whalley's cross was headed off the line by Luke Webb.

Either side of that, the Bulls had slightly the better of an undistinguished opening phase although long shots from Rob Purdie and Steve Guinan were their only real efforts on goal.

Brown showed Hereford how to shoot from distance in the 25th minute and only a brave save from his namesake Wayne in the Hereford goal, who raced off his line to block Whalley's effort after the winger got away from Simon Travis, prevented a second home goal in the lead-up to half-time.

The game slipped further away from Hereford seven minutes after the break.

Mkandawire was pulled up for a foul on Whalley on the edge of the penalty area and home skipper Peter Cav-anagh's firm strike beat the wall to nestle in the corner of the net.

Hereford threw on substitutes Stuart Fleetwood and Alan Connell in a bid to get back into the game and the move almost paid off on 78 minutes.

Connell forced a corner and, from Thomas's flag-kick, Steve Guinan's close-range shot was booted off the line.

Three minutes later, Connell met a cross from Thomas on the volley but his perfectly-struck shot flew straight at 'keeper David Martin who would have had little chance a yard either side.

A minute from time, Thomas was breaking out of defence following an Accrington corner but was still in the Hereford half when Brown brought him down.

Referee Graham Laws pulled out the red card to send Brown on his way but Accrington's 10-man held on to add three vital points to their survival bid.

Hereford: Brown; Mkandawire, Gulliver (Fleetwood, 62 min), Beckwith; Travis, Webb, Smith, Thomas, Purdie; Williams (Connell, 76 min), Guinan. Subs not used: Thompson, Rose, Webb.

Attendance: 1,848.