Hereford FC extended their lead at the top of the Evo Stik Southern League Division 1 South and West to five points with a resounding 4-0 victory over Bishops Cleeve.

A brace from John Mills and goals from Mike Symons and Pablo Haysham sealed a comfortable victory in a sun soaked Bank Holiday encounter at Edgar Street.

The Bulls were looking to continue their fine unbeaten start to the season having won all five of their opening league fixtures.

Manager Peter Beadle made one change from Saturday’s 2-0 win against Barnstaple Town with Aaron Birch coming in for the injured Jimmy Oates.

It was Hereford that looked the most likely to score in the opening ten minutes going close through Symons who saw his shot bounce back off the post whilst Chris Barker headed narrowly over.

John Mills then fired wide from a Birch cross as the hosts searched for an early goal before Mark Magee saw a terrific header clip the top of the bar in a rare sight of goal for the visitors.

The Bulls continued to dominate possession and worked the ball well with Tristan Plummer causing a threat down the right flank but were continually frustrated by a well drilled Cleeve back four.

It then took a fantastic save from the Bishops keeper, Matt Wieczorek midway through the half to deny John Mills after some fine build up play by the hosts.

And it was Wieczorek to the rescue again for the visitors just five minutes later, pulling off another great save from Mills to keep the scores level.

44 minutes in though and the Bulls finally got the breakthrough. Symons found himself in space six yards out to head in a cross from Jamie Edge beyond the superb Wieczorek to give the hosts a well-earned lead on the stroke of half time.

The Bulls picked up where they left off in the first half and doubled their lead shortly after half time. Mills, who was on a rich vein of form of late, finished well in to the right hand corner to score his 61st goal for the club.

The hosts didn’t have long to wait for their third, making it 3-0 almost two minutes later. The lively Plummer struck a powerful shot straight at the impressive Wieczorek . However the visitors keeper could only parry to Mills who calmly slotted it in to the net to grab his second of the game.

Pablo Haysham soon made it 4-0 65 minutes in with a sensational run and finish to cap off an impressive display from the hosts.

The hosts were well in the ascendancy with Haysham and Purdie both going close with efforts as they looked to grab a fifth goal. Mills also saw a fine effort from 20 yrds late on hit the top of bar as the former Didcot man looked for a third to cap off a hatrick.

In the end, it was an impressive performance from the hosts who were rarely troubled. A tough away fixture now awaits for the Bulls as they travel to Romulus in the FA Cup.