Carson eyes the prize after return to winners' enclosure

Swindon Town 3 Hereford United

For 26 minutes, Hereford were entitled to dream and think back to 1972 and all that. That was the length of time the non-League side were in front against their Second Division opposition, and they had even witnessed a goal by Gavin Williams to rival that strike by Ronnie Radford against Newcastle all those years ago. But they could not hold out against a more organised and patently fitter side and with 14 minutes remaining, Eric Sabin's scuffed shot was blocked and then pounced upon by Bobby Howe, who turned and beat Matt Baker from all of 10 yards to break Hereford's hearts.

Even with Willie Carson newly installed as Swindon's chairman after the club's extraordinary general meeting on Friday, the football, in horseracing terms, was more agricultural point-to-point than Royal Ascot.

Not that this stopped Hereford from promising to live up to their glorious FA Cup traditions of upsetting the applecart. Almost 30 years ago, and as a non-League team, they eliminated Newcastle United in the third round, with Radford's 30-yard goal etching itself into the competition's lore.

Back to the present day, Swindon presented slightly less glamorous opposition as a Second Division side, but any team in the Football League are fair game for a club outside the 92, and Hereford certainly made their mark in this second-round fixture.

Yet with 49 league places separating host and guest at kick-off, things were running to form when, after just 10 minutes, Swindon took the lead. After a poor opening spell by both teams, a Baker clearance was headed into the path of Danny Invincibile by Matt Heywood and the Australian sped past two defenders to slot his shot home.

Unperturbed, Hereford promptly reawakened the spirit of 1972. A James Quiggan corner found Gavin Williams 30 yards out and as players rushed to close him down he drilled his shot, Radford style, past Bart Griemink.

More shocks were to come, as things got worse for Swindon. With 27 minutes gone another set-piece move gave the Bulls the lead as Williams' corner kick found the unmarked Ian Wright at the far post.

Carson has inherited a club who are reportedly £3.5m in debt, and therefore prior to this match he was as desperate as anyone for victory and a potentially lucrative third-round tie.

And the equaliser they needed came eight minutes after the break as the visitors failed properly to clear a Neil Ruddock free-kick. When the ball broke to Paul Edwards on the left, he cut in from just outside the penalty area and fired his shot past Baker for his first goal for the Robins.

That strike had not been undeserved, and it was logical that the home side should run out winners, as they also had a penalty appeal turned away. Carson's view later was: "A win by a short head is as good as one by a few furlongs. The best way of getting finances in is to win. Now I want a big team in the third round."

As he occupied the chairman's hot seat for the first time even Carson – who must have felt sore more than occasionally in his time in the saddle – was presumably feeling uncomfortable at half-time. By the final whistle, Howe's goal had applied the balm he needed.

Swindon Town 3

Invincibile 11, Edwards 53, Howe 76

Hereford United 2

G Williams 14, Wright 27

Half-time: 1-2 Attendance: 7,699