Hartlepool United 4 Hereford United 2: Hereford United will go into tomorrow night's battle against Brighton knowing they must win if they are going to make a fight of avoiding relegation.

The Bulls have seven games left to mount a determined effort to avoid the drop into League Two following their defeat against Hartlepool.

Goals from Sam Collins and Anthony Sweeney in the 77th and 79th minutes clinched Hartlepool's victory after the Bulls had twice fought back to level at Victoria Park.

Hartlepool's leading marksman Joel Porter twice put the home side in front before they were pegged back, first by Febian Brandy and then by Marc Pugh.

But Collins and Sweeney ended Hereford's resistance when they headed past goalkeeper Jose Veiga.

"It was a massively disappointing result because, to be fair to the players, they'd worked hard," said Hereford chief Graham Turner.

"Twice they picked themselves up to get equalisers and we did create opportunities to have scored more than two goals."

But Turner has not conceded that the Bulls are going to be relegated.

"It's not all over, we have got games to play and we have got to beat Brighton on Tuesday – it's as simple as that," added Turner.

Hereford were forced to make a change in goal, with Veiga replacing Peter Gulacsi, who is now back in Liverpool receiving treatment for a knee inquiry.

The Bulls were also without central defender Darren Dennehy, who was ruled out with glandular fever.

Veiga was soon in action, saving a shot from Sweeney before the Bulls gained an early corner.

On eight minutes, Hartlepool's leading marksman, Porter, made no mistake when he put the home side in front from 25 yards.

Hereford rallied quickly to level two minutes later, when midfielder Ben Smith found Brandy, who drilled the ball past Jan Budtz into the net.

But Hartlepool regained the lead three minutes later, when Porter scored from the penalty spot after Richard Rose had brought down Keigan Parker.

However, a resilient Hereford levelled again in the 28th minute when Pugh scored at the far post from a cross by Toumani Diagouraga. It was his first goal since arriving from Shrewsbury Town.

Straight after the break, Veiga made a fine save when he pushed a free-kick from Ritchie Humphreys away for a corner.

At the other end, Rose met a corner from Jennison Myrie-Williams, but his header just failed to find the target.

Full-back Kris Taylor also volleyed a left-foot shot wide of a Hartlepool post.

Hereford, however, survived a let-off when Porter drilled the bar against the crossbar, with Veiga beaten.

Smith's pass set up Myrie-Williams, who failed to connect properly in front of goal, while Steve Guinan shot wide after being set up by Taylor as the Bulls looked to counter-attack.

Goalkeeper Budtz also saved from Brandy as he swept past defender Michael Nelson.

And Hartlepool then went in front for the third time in the match when Collins headed past Veiga from a corner by Andy Monkhouse.

Two minutes later, Sweeney added to Hereford's misery when he headed the fourth goal from a cross by Porter at the far post.