Hereford United's first, and last for this season at least, game in the Spalding Cup ended in a 2-1 defeat at Farnborough Town last night. Played out in front of a crowd of just 256, the lowest to watch a competitive game involving Hereford since they were elected to the Football League in 1972 and, probably, for a long time before that, the match was one that trialist Craig Mansall will never forget.

The midfielder from Pelsall Villa had impressed in a couple of training sessions and United director of football Graham Turner wanted to take a look at the youngster in match action. But after taking the place of Jamie Pitman in the 69th minute wearing the number 13 shirt, Mansall's involvement lasted just 13 minutes during which the only mark he left was on Farnborough's Jon Underwood. He was yellow carded, rather harshly, two minutes after his arrival for a tackle from behind on the scorer of the home side's winner goal, and then received a second caution, and a red card, for a spectacularly ill-advised two-footed lunge 11 minutes later.

Underwood's winner, a minute before Mansall's departutre, was one of three fine strikes totally out of keeping with the generally forgettable quality of the game.

Hereford had had largley the better of affairs in the first half and then again at the start of the second but neither side looked like scoring until a wonder-goal by Neil Grayson broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute. Hereford's leading scorer picked up the ball on the right and arrowed a left foot drive from 30 yards which rocketed past the bemused Stuart MacKenzie in the home goal.

Farnborough's attack, which had hitherto been virtually anonymous, struck back within two minutes when Darren Robson smashed an equally fierce shot past the helpless Andy de Bont in the United goal. In the 75th minute, United skpper David Norton made a welcome reappearance after three months on the sidelines with a groin injury, but neither he nor any of the other Hereford defenders could prevent Underwood's well-struck winner from 20 yards nine minutes from time.

As well as the unfortunate Mansall, Pitman, Brian McGorry and Chris Hargreaves, as well as Barry Miller and Robson for Farnborough, were cautioned by over-fussy referee Peter Vosper.

Hereford: de Bont, Warner (sub Norton 75 mins), Fishlock, Pitman (sub Mansall, 69 mins), Brough, Walker, Hargreaves, McGorry, Grayson (sub Cook, 69 mins) McCue, Mahon.

Attendance: 256.