Match Report

Two goals from Craig Mackail-Smith helped Peterborough stretch their unbeaten League One run to 11 games, although they failed to find the sparkle of recent outings and were given some anxious moments by lowly Hereford.

Both sides lost a player through self-inflicted injuries before the game was 20 minutes old.

Hereford's Bruno N'Gotty was stretchered off after just five minutes with a suspected ruptured tendon when over reaching in a desperate attempt to stop Mackail-Smith, before home wide man Chris Whelpdale limped out after fouling Hereford's Kris Taylor.

Whelpdale had already missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring after George Boyd provided a near perfect delivery, before Posh had to thank goalkeeper Joe Lewis for a breathtaking one-handed save to deny N'Gotty's replacement Dean Beckwith, who connected with a Clint Easton corner and sent a storming header towards the top corner.

Posh finally edged ahead on 34 minutes thanks to a hotly disputed penalty, referee Richard Beeby booking both Beckwith and Taylor for protesting after a grounded Karl Broadhurst was adjudged to have handled Aaron McLean's fierce low cross.

Darren Randolph went to his right to get a hand to Mackail-Smith's spot-kick, but the keeper was powerless to stop the home top scorer slotting in the rebound.

Hereford had a good spell after the break with England Under 21 international Lewis saving well when Bradley Hudson-Odoi reached a Ben Smith centre and then as Toumani Diagouraga sent in a rising shot.

It took a storming right-wing break by Boyd to set up a second home goal on 68 minutes.

Boyd left two defenders floundering in his wake before crossing for Mackail-Smith to net with a close-range header for his 12th goal of the season.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides