HEREFORD FC manager Pete Beadle said he was forced to playing a strong team against Pegasus Juniors last night due to lack of numbers.

John Mills, Pablo Haysham, Ryan Green, Joel Edwards, Jamie Molyenux and Mike McGrath all started, while Mike Symons came off the bench in the HFA County Challenge Cup semi-final match, which Hereford won 3-1.

However, with a lack of midweek games recently, the Bulls manager said it wasn't a bad thing.

"We haven't played a midweek game for a long time now so it's not a bad thing to keep things ticking over for the week," said Beadle.

"Last year, we were in really good form when we were playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, whereas every game this season now is a weekend, apart from a Bank Holiday Monday.

"So every now and again it's not a bad thing to chuck a game in there."

Hereford played a 3-5-2 formation rather than their usual 4-4-2.

"We were thought we would be stronger playing that than someone completely out of position at right back," said Beadle.

"It had some plusses and some minuses.

"At times it worked quite well and other times, it looked a bit open, but I was pleased what they did and happy to go through the game.

"I thought we did great in the first half and, then in the second half I think we got to a point where we thought the game was done and dusted at 3-0 and it was a case of trying to pick them off and add to our tally.

"But it never worked out like that and in the end they got back into the game with a goal and a penalty shout."

Beadle reserved praise for Pegasus and emphasises with player-manager Anthony Robbins' job of getting everyone available.

"When you don't pay people, it's difficult to get players to commit to the level that he wants them to commit to," said Beadle.

"But the one thing I know is that he's not a quitter and they showed flashes that they are strong in places.

"You just hope they can perform like that every week and not because it was against us."

Former Hereford players Jay Richmond and Carlos Moreira started for Pegasus.

"Jay felt he wanted to come here because it was less pressure than playing for us and Carlos is Carlos – one minute he can be a world beater and the next minute, he just tries too much," added Beadle.

"It was hard to give him a regular place with us and that is why I thought it would be best for him to come to a place where he can more frequently.

"He did well, especially in the second half."

Robbins, meanwhile, was pleased with his side's second half performance, but felt his team didn't threaten the Hereford defence enough.

"When we broke, the quality was just lacking in the final third," he said.

"I just wish we opened them up a little bit more.

"But I thought we shut them out well in the second half.

"I just wanted us to have a bit more composure on the ball in the second half and I thought we had that, which bodes well moving forward.

"I thought my lads' attitude and work rare was phenomenal and ran their socks off for 90 minutes.

"However, with 20 minutes to go we had two solid penalty appeals and their player doesn't even get carded for a foul when he he was the last man outside of the box.

"If we had got those decisions, it's a different game."

Robbins added that his players wanted Hereford to field a strong team.

"Our lads wanted that so we could test ourselves," he said.

"I thought our first half performance was good, but the first two goals were so soft.

"The third goal by Pablo was class, but if we had kept it to 1-0 at half-time, anything could have happened.

"If we get the same side out for Saturday, we'll do really well

"We just need a bit consistency."