HEREFORD FC manager Pete Beadle says the Bulls can ill-afford to start slowly next season after a late Jimmy Oates goal saw them see off Stourbridge 1-0 to lift the HFA Senior Invitational Cup.

Beadle's team were sluggish in the first half, but played much better after the break and created a hatful of chances.

"It was exactly what we wanted, what we were looking for," said Beadle.

"I thought we gave a really good account of ourselves especially in second half.

"We were a little bit slow in first half but, second half was really pleasing. we played really well."

"We need to start better, we need to be a bit braver on the ball, we can't keep starting slow all the time.

"The tempo of the game starts from the kick-off.

"The kick-off goes back to James [Bowen] he plays it to Calvin [Dinsley], Calvin plays it back, it bobbles over his foot and everyone goes oh.

"It's that deflation that everyone has to go back to defend.

"It's getting off on the right foot and playing at the right tempo.

"Even things from Martin [Horsell] in goal catching it and looking to throw it early, even if he doesn't throw it at least he is looking.

"Throw in's and ball out of play and we walk up to the ball and we slowly pick it up.

"If James runs up to the ball, looks to pick it up and throw it quick other players on the pitch react and that's what we didn't have first half.

"Second half we started great and penned them back in their half and we started to get chances and we've had some great chances.

"On another day the game could have finished 3 or 4-1 with the chance they had.

"I'm just asking them to make sure we can't start slow, we won't get away with it this year.

"It's nice to win with a cup involved as well.

"We always want to win but we understand pre-season games are exactly what they are for.

Hereford’s best effort in the early exchanges came in the 12th minute but after beating his man, John Mills’ low cross failed to find a team mate.

However, around the half-hour mark, Stourbridge had three chances in the space of two minutes.

But the efforts from strikers Jordan Archer and Jordan Murphy were weak.

For Hereford, Oates saw a shot go wide six minutes before half-time.

If the start of the first half was slow, the second half was anything but.

Garyn Preen saw an effort cleared off the line before Stourbridge centre-half Stuart Pierpoint’s header from a free-kick hit a post.

Then, Dinsley fizzed an effort over for the Bulls.

Hereford had a great chance to finally open the scoring in the 68th minute, but John Mills’ shot was cleared off the line after Keyon Reffell’s initial effort was saved.

But Oates was on hand to grab the winner as the Bulls rounded off their pre-season programme with a victory.

Their opening Southern Premier League game is against Kings Langley next week.

Hereford: Horsell, Oates, Bowen, Edge, Deaman, Green, Reffell (Franklin 89), Dinsley, Mills (Smith 71), Haysham (Symons 71) Preen (Preece 71)

Sub not used: Harris.

Stourbridge: Gould, Westlake, Christophuru (Canavan 46), McCone, Pierpoint, Gator, Hague (Cooke 65), Forde, Archer (Rowe 76), Murphy, Green.

Subs not used: Moseley, Soloman, Jeavons

Attendance: 1,025 (157 away fans)