By Gregg Davies @ the Crown Ground
Two goals from Gavin McCallum - the second with virtually the last kick of the game - ensured Hereford United preserved their Football League status with a 2-1 win at Accrington Stanley.
The former Sutton striker rifled home from distance to send the Bulls in ahead at the break.
And after Michael Symes' penalty shortly after the restart had restored parity, he popped up at the far post in the 93rd minute to inflict a fifth successive home defeat on John Coleman's side.
Graham Turner made four changes to the team that started Tuesday's beating at Bournemouth, with James McQuilkin, Craig King and the fit again Mathieu Manset replacing Sam Gwynne, Leon Constantine and Jake Jervis.
Ryan Green - struggling with a hamstring complaint - was absent allowing Keith Lowe to feature for the first time in more than six weeks.
Hereford came flying out of the blocks, with McCallum firing comfortably wide after just 15 seconds.
But Stanley soon settled and twice threatened to break the deadlock.
Darran Kempson came close to turning in Tom Lees' set piece amid a goalmouth scramble, while captain Andrew Proctor could only head straight at Adam Bartlett when directing the ball either side of the Bulls' skipper would surely have resulted in the opener.
On a difficult, bobbly pitch it was United who carved out the better opportunities before the interval.
Marc Pugh latched onto King's lofted pass but watched his attempted lob over goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin drift wide, before Manset flicked the ball on for King, whose first-time drive whistled a whisker the wrong side of the post.
Hereford did get their noses in front 10 minutes prior to half time. Kenny Lunt found McCallum, who used his power and pace to turn his marker before firing low beyond Dunbavin from long range.
The visitors would have been two goals to the good at the break had Manset's neat turn and shot inside the penalty area found the bottom corner rather than flashing across the goal-face.
And instead they saw their slender lead wiped out almost immediately after the restart.
Ryan Valentine - who conceded a spot-kick at Bournemouth - was penalised again, as a bobbling ball inside the box cannoned off his arm, convincing the assistant referee to award a penalty that Symes slammed home.
The early response rallied the hosts, and they proceeded to dominate with Symes springing the offside trap but seeing his low shot saved by Bartlett.
Bartlett then parried Luke Joyce's 20-yard stinger straight to Robert Grant, who hurriedly lifted his rebound over the crossbar.
Both Symes and substitute Chris Turner had the ball in the net, only to be denied by the assistant referee's flag, as Stanley looked more likely to snatch the points.
Instead, they succumbed to a sucker punch at the death following a classic Hereford counter-attack made to look simple on the unpredictable surface that had caused problems all afternoon.
Billy Kee failed to connect with Grant's inviting corner deep in stoppage time allowing the Bulls to break at pace, with Jervis - on for Manset - feeding the overlapping Pugh who squared for McCallum to tap home in front of the jubilant travelling supporters.
Accrington Stanley: Dunbavin, Lees, Edwards, Kempson, Winnard, Ryan, Joyce (Kee 74), Procter ©, Miles (Turner 84), Symes, Grant
Subs Not Used: Bouzanis, Murphy, Flynn, McConville, Mullin.
Hereford United: Bartlett ©, Lowe, D. Jones, Rose, Valentine, McCallum, Lunt, McQuilkin, Pugh, Manset (Jervis 79), King (Constantine 79).
Subs Not Used: Done, Weir, Young, C. Jones, Gwynne.
Booked: D. Jones, Manset.
Attendance: 1,420
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Via email jamie@bullsonline.co.uk
"Am a long time Bulls fan listening online on Bulls Player for the 1st time. It's 9.15am and beautiful bright sunshine here this morning … all I need now to start the day off right is a comprehensive Bulls win and the guarantee of League football for another 12 months!
Had a dream last night that Marc Pugh scored a Marco van Basten bicycle-kick from the edge of the area … so hoping that was actually a premonition and not a dream!
Keep up the good commentary!"
Chris Shapland, Chicago USA.
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Via Twitter.
hermonator01
@HerefordUnited1 Come on you whites we need a win today
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Gravybob
@HerefordUnited1 Any chance of GT staying on as manager? Backed by a chairman with a few bob and we'd be in the premiership within 4 seasons.
