The Bulls start their FA Cup campaign on Saturday as they travel to Willenhall to take on Sporting Khalsa in the second qualifying round.

Hereford will be looking to return to winning ways after a 1-1 draw away to Darlington last Saturday, which made it two draws in a row and three games unbeaten overall.

Paul Caddis’ side found themselves 1-0 down at half-time but fought back in the second 45 with a late equaliser from Sam Osborne, who scored his first goal for the club.

“Darlington is a very tough place to go; we’ve never had much luck up here, so we’ve got to respect the point, we showed great character again to come back from a losing position to gain a point,” said Caddis.

At this stage of the FA Cup last season, the Bulls drew Ilkeston Town at home, where the scores were level at 1-1; they then won the replay 1-0.

Hereford then drew Bishop’s Stortford away in the third qualifying round, which they lost 3-2.

Sporting Khalsa, who play in the Northern League Division One West, have had a mixed start to their league campaign with two wins and the same number of losses.

The Lions, who are two leagues below the Bulls, have already got their FA Cup campaign well underway with an emphatic win against Sporting Club Inkberrow in the Preliminary Round and a victory via a replay against Boston Town.

Ian Rowe’s side finished sixth in the Northern League Division One Midlands last season, five points off the play-offs.

Traveling to the Aspray Arena will give the Hereford fans a throwback to the first season of the phoenix club in the Midland Football League Premier Division where the two clubs were in the same division.

The one and only time the Bulls faced Sporting Khalsa away, they won 3-0 courtesy of goals from Mike Symons, Pablo Haysham, and Rob Purdie.

Hereford fans will be hoping to see their side progress into the third qualifying round on Saturday.

Team News

Preston Bitemo was forced off against Darlington after being knocked unconscious.

Gus Mafuta remains sidelined through injury, he has been for a scan, and the club is awaiting the results to find out the severity.

Madou Cisse is also to have a scan at his parent club, Notts County.

Last Five

HEREFORD:

1-4 (H) Chorley 23/08/25 (Eno Nto x1)
1-0 (A) Radcliffe 25/08/25
2-0 (H) Alfreton 30/08/25 (Andy Williams x2)
2-2 (H) Bedford 02/09/25 (Lawson D’Ath x1, Montel Gibson x1)
1-1 (A) Darlington 06/09/25 (Sam Osborne x1)

Sporting Khalsa’s FA Cup Campaign:

5-1 (H) Sporting Club Inkberrow 16/08/25 (Preliminary Round)
1-1 (A) Boston Town 30/08/25 (First Qualifying Round)
2-0 (H) Boston Town 02/09/25 (First Qualifying Round Replay)

Head-2-Head:

Sporting Khalsa 0-3 Hereford (Midland Football League Premier Division) 19/04/16 (Mike Symons x1, Pablo Haysham x1, Rob Purdie x1)
Hereford 4-0 Sporting Khalsa (Midland Football League Premier Division) 16/02/16 (Mustapha Bundu x3, Haysham x1)