Hereford'S topsy-turvy form continued at Edgar Street on Tuesday as they climbed to seventh place in the Nationwide Conference.

On Saturday they slumped to a dismal 2-0 defeat at lowly Dover Athletic. Three days later they turned in a five-star performance to rout highly fancied and financially well-resourced Rushden. Club guests Hereford MP Paul Keetch and Herefordshire Council leader Terry James must have been impressed.

Skipper and central defender Ian Wright put United on the way to victory with two of his trademark headers, while striker Paul Fewings doubled the tally with a brace obtained by sheer grit and determination.

No one was more pleased that Fewings raised his goal tally to five in five games than United director of football Graham Turner.

He said: "After all the injury problems he had last season, I'm delighted for him. Overall, although we could have scored more goals, it was a good performance."

Wright opened the Bulls' account in the second minute when he powered in a header from Mark Taylor's corner. Diamonds keeper Billy Turley then kept out good efforts from Fewings and John Snape, while at the other end United had a couple of slices of luck.

Michael Mison shot wide of an open goal and in the 20th minute Paul Underwood delivered a superb, curling free-kick that rattled a post and bounced away to safety.

Wright struck again in the 61st minute, this time giving Turley no chance as he outjumped Rushden's defence to head home Paul Sturgess' free-kick. Two minutes later Fewings chased an innocuous looking pass and powered his way between Mark Peters and Ray Warburton to slot a shot past Turley and make it 3-0.

The goal rush continued in the 68th minute as Fewings shrugged off an attempted tackle by Tim Wooding to chip the ball over Turley. A few minutes later Turley denied Snape a goal with a diving save, while, with time running out, Sturgess made sure the Bulls kept a clean sheet by kicking Warburton's shot off the line.

Hereford's Matt Clarke and Sturgess were booked, bringing their total of yellow cards to five each.

Hereford: Jones, Clarke, Wright, James, Sturgess, Rodgerson, Taylor, Snape, Parry (Williams 72 min), Elmes, Fewings. Subs not used: Lane, Chapman, Cotterill, May.

Attendance: 1,724.