By Gregg Davies @ the Pirelli Stadium
Hereford United's run without scoring passed the 500 minute mark as Burton Albion inflicted a third straight defeat on Simon Davey's side.
Having begun to cause the Brewers' back-line some problems midway through the first half, Paul Peschisolido's men pushed ahead through goals from Richard Walker and Shaun Harrad before the break.
Russell's Penn drive, aided by a huge deflection, less than a minute after the restart ended the tie as a contest, with the hosts finishing the game with 10-men after defender Darren Moore hobbled off having crashed into the advertising hoardings.
The Bulls made three changes following the narrow defeat to Rotherham United and lined up in a 3-5-2 formation with O'Neil Thompson brought into the centre of defence and Ryans Green and Valentine deployed as wing-backs.
French forward Mathieu Manset returned from injury, while both Richard Rose and Cameroonian striker Amadou Rabihou made their first appearances of the campaign in place of Sean Canham, Stuart Fleetwood and Michael Townsend, who injured his knee in training.
Burton made the more aggressive start as the visitors got to grips with their new setup, but took their time in troubling custodian Adam Bartlett, with Harrad eventually calling the keeper into action with a 25-yard snapshot that was tipped over the crossbar.
Hereford improved as the opening half progressed. Joe Colbeck raced down the right flank and skipped past Nathan Stanton's challenge, only to slip as he attempted to cross.
Stanton had to be replaced by former United captain Tony James after sustaining an injury, and the Bulls continued to look capable of making the breakthrough.
Colbeck watched a low 25-yarder drift narrowly wide of the far post, before almost embarrassing goalkeeper Adam Legzdins with an effort from out on the touchline.
Manset then fired agonisingly wide with the outside of his boot from the edge of the penalty area, but the Bulls soon found themselves behind.
John McGrath's chipped free-kick into the danger-zone fell favourably for Walker, who lashed home from six yards with a consummate ease.
And just four-minutes later another hopeful ball forward - this time from Aaron Webster, on his 500th appearance for Burton - found Harrad who, having broken United's offside trap, confidently beat Bartlett.
The Bulls briefly rallied, with Rabidou first testing Legzdins with an 18-yard curler, before firing over from a similar distance.
But the Brewers could have been home and hosed by half-time, with another Harrad howitzer moving in the air and deceiving Bartlett, who reacted well to thwart Walker on the rebound.
Colbeck was fortunate to only receive a yellow card shortly before the break after appearing to stamp out following a midfield tussle with McGrath.
And Hereford's afternoon continued to go from bad to worse.
Davey introduced deadline day signing Dominik Werling for Thompson at half-time and sent his side out in a 4-4-2 formation.
But his team-talk quickly went out of the window, with Penn seeing his shot loop up off Janos Kovacs and over the helpless Bartlett less than 60 seconds after the restart.
With the result beyond the Bulls' reach, the visitors did threaten to finally score a first goal since the opening day of the season.
Legzidins fumbled a Valentine free-kick, but no orange shirt was able to turn home the loose ball with the goal gaping, before Green hurriedly lashed high and wide from inside the penalty area.
Substitute Stuart Fleetwood saw a 25-yard drive denied by Legzdins, who was later caught in no-man's land as Sam Malsom attempted to chip in from the right touchline after giant defender Moore had hammered the advertising boards.
But the Brewers could easily have triumphed by a more emphatic scoreline. Walker saw an 18-yard clip hit the inside of the post with Harrad's rebound repelled by Bartlett.
The former Bristol Rovers front-man also saw a close-range effort clawed away by the keeper, with the forward's follow-up hitting the side-netting from an acute angle.
Burton Albion (4-4-2): Legzdins, Corbett, Moore, Stanton (James 19), Webster, Young, Penn, McGrath, Maghoma, Harrad (Pearson 73), Walker (Ellison 78).
Subs not used: Poole, Phillips, Dyer, Grocott.
Booked: Young, James.
Hereford United (3-5-2): Bartlett, Green, Kovacs, Thompson (Werling 46), Rose, Valentine, Lunt, McQuilkin, Colbeck, Manset (Malsom 64), Rabihou (Fleetwood 65).
Subs not used: Whittaker, Stratford, Canham, Kanoute.
Booked: Kovacs, Colbeck, Manset.
Attendance: 2,556.
