Bradford (Park Avenue) returned to the league summit with a hard-fought victory over Hereford.
The visitors were given an early scare when Lewis Knight delivered from the right and Jordan Cullinane-Liburd’s misdirected header cannoned off the crossbar.
Nicky Wroe then tried his luck from distance but saw his swerving effort fly wide.
George Lloyd was the first Hereford player to catch a glimpse of goal and his shot was struck with venom, but the ball whistled narrowly wide of the post.
The hosts then had the ball in the back of the net when Oli Johnson swivelled and lashed past Matt Yates. However, to the dismay of the home supporters, the linesman’s flag appeared, and the goal was ruled out for offside.
Both sides continued to throw caution to the wind in the first-half and there was little reluctance to attack. A neat exchange between Tom Owen-Evans and Kyle Finn created space for the former to shoot but his effort was blocked by the outstretched boot of Mark Ross.
Nicky Wroe then saw a shot blocked on the stroke of half-time after skipping past two players and pulling the trigger.
HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 0-0 Hereford
Drench had to be alert to deny Hereford marksman Kyle Finn immediately after the restart, holding on to a thunderous strike from the forward.
Bradford then threatened with a swift counter-attack, which saw Oli Johnson thread through to an advancing Jake Beesley. The loanee skipped past Yates but was edged wide and blazed over the crossbar.
Johnson created an opportunity for himself by racing past Greenslade and making an incisive dart into the box, but his shot was lifted over the woodwork.
Despite Bradford’s pressure, the Bulls remained in contention and went close through George Lloyd. The forward drifted into space but his curling effort found the wrong side of the post.
The hosts broke the deadlock with twenty minutes remaining when Knight capitalised on a defensive mix-up to burst into the box and tap into a vacated net.
Despite having a deficit to overturn, Hereford failed to produce a response as the Bradford backline remained sturdy.
Penalty appeals were dismissed in stoppage time as Hereford players surrounded the referee, believing that James Roberts had been fouled inside the box.
Bradford were then appealing for a penalty of their own when Beesley was felled but the official, once again, ignored the protests.
FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-0 Hereford
Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe (Spencer 77’), Ross, Havern, Knight (McKenna 81’), Branson, Beesley, Johnson (c) (Killock 90+4’), Clee.
Unused substitutes: Dawson, Hurst.
Hereford: Yates, Thomas, Greenslade, O’Sullivan, Cullinane-Liburd (c), Gowling, Dinsley, Owen-Evans, Finn (Roberts 72’), Lloyd (Dielna 84’), Symons.
Unused substitutes: Murphy, Wharton, Horsell.
Referee: Adam Herczog
Attendance: 448