Hereford fell to a 0-2 defeat at home to King’s Lynn Town.

Ross Crane took an early lead for the away side in the fourth minute before doubling his tally just before the half-hour mark.

The loss dropped the Bulls to 24th whilst the Linnets moved up to fifth.

Paul Caddis made two changes to the side that lost to Spennymoor, with Matt Preston and Lawson D’Ath coming in for Mitchell Roberts and Gus Mafuta.

James Rowe also made two alterations to the team that drew to Telford, with Sam Collins and Emmanuel Maja replacing Morgan Williams and Gold Omotayo.

The visitors made a dream start when they took the lead in the fourth minute after Bailey Clements overlapped down the left and picked out Crane at the back post, who headed home.

Other than the early goal, the game got off to a quiet start with neither goalkeeper being troubled.

Rowe’s side then made it two in the 27th minute when Reece Hall-Johnson rattled the bar with a strike, the ball then bounced out to Crane, who had his shot deflected in by Howkins.

Hereford had their first shot on target on the half-hour mark when D’Ath found Omari Sterling-James, who had his effort tipped wide by Louis Chadwick.

Remaye Campbell was then picked out by Sterling-James from the subsequent corner, but his headed attempt was cleared off the line by Hall-Johnson.

King’s Lynn came close in the 37th minute, when Joseph Nyahwema cut inside and delivered a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, where Preston was first to it to clear it away.

On the cusp of half-time, Michael Gyasi went on a brilliant run with the ball, which saw him go one-on-one with Theo Richardson, but the Hereford shot stopper produced a good save.

That was the final action of the first half, which meant that it was 2-0 going into the break.

The Bulls came close early in the second 45 when Sterling-James whipped a brilliant cross towards Campbell, who put his header narrowly wide.

Rowe’s side had a dangerous attack in the 56th minute, when Gyasi drove down the right and found Nyahwema at the back post, but he could not get a clean connection.

The Linnets nearly had a third eight minutes later, when a short corner was delivered towards the back post, it ended up at the feet of Gyasi, but his shot hit the side netting.

Crane nearly had his hat-trick in the 75th minute when he cut inside and hit a dangerous curling effort which was just wide of the far post.

The game fizzled out after that, which meant that it finished 0-2.

Hereford FC XI- T. Richardson, K. Quansah, M. Preston, K. Howkins (M. Roberts 46’), A. Skinner, L. D’Ath (K. Williams 80’), M. Richards, E. Nto (I. Edwards 69’), S. Osborne (A. Williams 80’), O. Sterling-James, R. Campbell (C. Wreh 69’)

Unused Subs: O. Lewis, L. Hudson

King’s Lynn XI- L. Chadwick, R. Hall-Johnson, B. Clements, T. Wilson, T. Fleming, M. Clunan, J. Nyahwema (T. Dickens 81’), S. Collins (C. Forde-Brown 71’), R. Crane, M. Gyasi (A. Marriott 76’). E. Maja (M. Williams 52’)

Unused Subs: P. Jones, G. Omotayo, T. Williams

Attendance: 2854 (67 away)