Hereford'S long unbeaten run, stretching back 13 games, came to an end at the Huish Park ground on Saturday.Teenager Ben Smith fired home two first-half goals to give the home side their victory and maintain the Glovers' own recent good run. To add further insult to the disappointment of defeat, the Yeovil sponsors named former Hereford goalkeeper Tony Pennock as man of the match, a move which did not go down too well with United supporters, irritated by his comments in a regional morning newspaper.

Pennock himself was fortunate to remain on the pitch for the full duration following a 58th-minute incident which left stud marks on Chris Harg-reaves' back. Referee Mike North deemed it 'ungentlemanly conduct' and merely cautioned the goalkeeper when a penalty and a red card would have been a more appropriate punishment. To say that this incident altered the course of the match might be taking things too far as the Glovers were already two goals up, but a successful penalty and the chance to play against 10 men, with a novice goalkeeper, might well have reshaped the game.

Yeovil had taken the lead after 11 minutes when another former United player, Owen Pickard, who proved a handful throughout, flicked on a Rob Cousins pass for Smith to shoot past Andy Quy. Although Warren Patmore should have increased the lead on 30 minutes, heading a Lee Archer cross wide when beautifully placed, it was Hereford who had the two best chances to score.

Hargreaves cleverly made space for himself on the edge of the box but shot high and wide from a good position. Then Tony Agana flicked on an Ian Rodgerson cross into the path of Brian McGorry but the United skipper sidefooted the ball weakly at Pennock. All this came after Rob Warner had shaved the post with a terrific 20-yard drive.

But the killer goal came in the 43rd minute, when Pickard, looking suspiciously off-side, got free on the right and Smith shot his cross in off a post.

In the second half Murray Fishlock rattled the post with a powerful 30-yard drive and substitute Craig Mansell sent a drive flashing across the face of the goal. But Yeovil, for whom another ex-Hereford player, Tony Pounder, made a fleeting appearance as substitute, held on for their win.

Richard Walker was cautioned for bringing down Pickard in the second half.

Hereford: Quy, Rodgerson, Fishlock, Warner, Brough, Walker, Hargreaves, McGorry, Agana, Williams (sub Mansell 63 mins), Mahon. Subs not used: Pitman, Parry.

Attendance: 2,601.