HEREFORD manager Josh Gowling says referee decisions put 'unnecessary pressure' on his side.

The Bulls had looked in firm control thanks to first half goals by Jaanai Gordon and Tom Owen-Evans.

However, two second half penalty appeals waved away by referee Neil Pratt.

A host of free-kick in Gloucester's favour put pressure on the Bulls with Matt Green eventually pulling a goal back but the Bulls hung on.

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"One of them (the penalty appeals) is the most blatant handball I've ever seen," said Gowling.

"The referee has said the ball has just hit him (the Gloucester player).

"That doesn't matter it has hit his hand. One of the penalty decisions was a maybe but the second was a stonewall.

"But then he also tried to give a goal-kick for a corner when the guy blatantly kicked it out.

"It just put unnecessary pressure on us, I thought we were in control of the game and he's giving free-kicks.

"The one where the guy has fallen over and pulled Miles (Storey) down and then he's given a free-kick.

"It feels like every referee that has come here this season has gone the other way.

"Hopefully we will get one soon here who will help us out a little bit.

"When you have free-kick after free-kick Tommy (O'Sullivan) put some good balls in they are going to get a head on one of them.

"(Matt) Green has got that quality where if you give him opportunities like that he's going to score."

The Bulls were impressive during the first half firstly going close after 11 minutes chance with Gordon running onto a through ball cutting it back for Owen-Evans who steered his effort over.

Hereford then took a 23rd minute lead with Maziar Kouhyar finding the run of Seb Revan who crossed onto the head of Gordon and the ball flew in off the crossbar.

Moments before the break Hereford doubled their lead with McLean beating his man before finding Owen-Evans inside the box to fire home.

After the break Hereford thought they deserved two penalties when first Kouhyar was brought down inside the box but referee Pratt waved away their appeals.

Moments later Owen-Evans controlled and claimed the ball came off a Gloucester hand but Pratt once again turned away their appeals.

The Bulls had a frantic moment at goal on the 61st minute.

Firstly Owen-Evans forced Jake Cole into a fine save with the rebound falling to Revan whose effort was cleared off the line only to Gordon who flashed his effort just wide.

Revan was thriving under the Edgar Street lights and ran at the City defence beating two men before seeing his shot saved by Cole.

Gloucester were back in the tie on 74 minutes with O'Sullivan picking out the head of Green to head home.

Two minutes later City could have been level when a corner fell nicely for Danny Nugent who fired the ball just wide.

Moments later Hall was forced into a fine save and Ollie Hulbert narrowly missed the rebound.

Goalkeeper Hall miss-kicked to Nugent who should have scored but instead found an off-side Green as Hereford hung on.

Hereford: Hall, Hodgkiss, Pearce, McLean (Storey 57), Owen-Evans, Lloyd, Pollock, Vincent (Forsyth 73), Kouhyar, Revan, Gordon ( Touray 63)