''FATE has a habit of throwing something up,'' said an, apparently, improbably optimistic Hereford boss Graham Turner before Saturday's Football Conference against-the-odds win at Hayes.

Turner's comment came immediately after the news that his team would be shorn of their only two experienced centre-backs and their latest signing who had all been forced to cry off in the hours leading up to the game.

First to go was Stuart Evans, whose wife went into labour on Saturday morning. Then Robbie Dennison's strained groin ruled him out of contention and, finally, Ian Wright arrived at the pre- match get-together suffering a stomach upset.

As if all this was not a sufficient handicap, even Turner's optimism must have been shaken after 49 minutes when John Snape was sent off for a second bookable offence, leaving his patched-up side to try to survive for the last 40 minutes with only 10 men.

But, after 66 minutes, Hereford were awarded a free-kick on the right about 25 yards from goal and player-coach Keith Downing's cross-cum shot beat everyone and landed in the corner of the net.

On a day of surprises, this was almost the biggest as Downing had not managed a single goal in his previous three years with the club and, in fact, this was his first success since September 1992 when he scored for Wolves in a 4-0 win over Birmingham City.

Ten minutes after his Hereford score, Hayes finally exploited a lack of height in United's re-shuffled defence and giant centre-back Chris Sparkes headed home a Barry Moore corner.

Remarkably, however, Hereford's fighting spirit remained intact and the introduction of substitute Gavin Williams gave the game its final twist.

The young striker burst clear down the right and hammered in a centre which Mark Druce failed by inches to turn into the net.

But the ball reached Matthew Cross on the left and the youngster, who made an enthusiastic and whole-hearted debut, returned the ball into the middle where Williams was able to fire past goalkeeper Russell Meara at the second attempt.

As the long five minutes of injury-time ticked by, Hereford's grip on the game was never seriously threatened. At the end they were given an enthusiastic reception by the travelling fans who made up a considerable portion of the disappointingly small crowd.

In addition to Snape, Cross and Kevin Collins and three home players received yellow cards.

Hereford: Quy, Clarke, Collins, Downing, Lane, Cross, Druce, Taylor, Leadbeater (sub Williams 78 mins), Rodgerson, Snape. Subs not used: Parry, Jones (gk).