Hereford'S tale of woe continued unabated. A 90th-minute goal from Wayne Aspinall sent them tumbling to their fifth home defeat in the Nationwide League Third Division and left them without a win in their last 10 league and cup games.

While Carlisle's second victory in 11 trips to Edgar Street shot them into second place, Hereford plunged into 22nd position. The Bulls failed to learn a lesson from their previous Third Division home game against Chester City when they also came from behind to draw level with a penalty, only to succumb to a last-minute goal.

On Saturday they trailed 2-1 at half-time, eventually got their fans behind them and equalised with Dean Smith's 85th minute penalty, but then left everyone deflated five minutes later. It is certainly one of the most frustrating periods in Hereford director of football Graham Turner's managerial career. He admits his club's league position is an embarrassment and that his pride is hurt.

He said: ''In the second half we worked hard to get back into the game and should not have allowed them to score again in the last five minutes. If we had finished with a draw at least there would have been a bit of confidence and noise from the players in the dressing room afterwards.''

The one bright spot was that Murray Fishlock, a 73rd-minute substitute, returned to action after a three-month lay-off through injury and came through without mishap. Finnish under-21 international Mika Kottila made his second appearance, replacing loan-signing Jonathan Cross in the 58th minute, and did enough to suggest he warrants persevering with.

The game could not have started more badly for Hereford as the Cumbrians went ahead after just four minutes. Aspinall was allowed plenty of room to centre from his right flank to the unattended Paul Conway who planted a header into the net. For the next half-hour Hereford had the bulk of the possession without being able to test Carlisle keeper Tony Caig with a telling effort. Yet, in one rare break by the Cumbrians, Gaig's counterpart Andy DeBont had to bring off a good save to foil Allan Smart. In the 39th minute Trevor Matthewson was somewhat harshly penalised for hand ball and Owen Archdeacon curled the free-kick over the defensive wall to make it 2-0.

Right on half-time, however, Hereford reduced arrears from their fifth corner. Adrian Foster headed down Cross's flag-kick to Matthewson who hooked home his first goal for the Bulls. But Hereford did not produce any real passion or movement until Fishlock and Ian Foster came on in the 73rd minute. After a period of prolonged pressure Dean Walling fouled Kottila and Dean Smith slammed in the resultant penalty for his eighth goal of the campaign.

A minute later Caig did well to tip a vicious drive from Adrian Foster over the bar, while DeBont made a diving save to grasp Archdeacon's shot before he was crucially beaten by Aspinall.

Hereford: DeBont, Warner, Brough, Law, Matthewson, Norton, Smith, Cook (Fishlock 73 mins), Hargreaves (Ian Foster 73 mins), Cross (Kottila 58 mins), Adrian Foster.

Attendance: 1,855.