X-FACTOR might have returned to the nation’s television sets on Saturday night, but Sam Collins is still waiting for four yeses from the York City boardroom.

During a fortnight break from action, Minstermen directors Jason McGill, Dave Penney, Richard Adams and Ian McAndrew will no doubt be judging whether caretaker chief Collins’ latest audition for the full-time job places him ahead of an inevitable cast of other hopefuls from up and down the country and even overseas.

Collins is no stranger to showcasing his talents in this manner, having taken the temporary reins at Hartlepool United on three separate occasions.

His longest previous stint lasted four matches, which he will match if he is still in situ when Kidderminster Harriers visit Bootham Crescent a week on Saturday.

An unbeaten three-game sequence has certainly done his chances no harm including as it does one home win and two away draws – following the widely-regarded formula for footballing success of taking three points in front of your own fans and one on the road.

Collins’ City didn’t quite hit all the right notes at Hereford, but the team continue to play with an identity carefully nurtured and impressively implemented by Collins during less than a fortnight at the helm.

Having survived early Bulls pressure, the visitors began to impose their patient passing game on the hosts with the team’s rejuvenated midfield axis of Josh Law and Simon Heslop pushing the ball around with confidence.

Law’s excellent raking pass proved the catalyst for Macaulay Langtsaff’s 24th-minute opening goal, as City netted before the interval for the first time in 15 contests since Alex Kemspter and Aidan Connolly made the scoresheet during March’s 3-2 success against Southport.

The Minstermen then appeared to be managing the game well before a double-substitution just before the hour mark appeared to rouse the home fans at a ground that attracts the second-biggest average attendances in National League North behind Stockport’s Edgeley Park.

Midfielder Mike McGrath subsequently levelled but the visitors went on to hold out to extend their longest unbeaten run since January to a fifth fixture.

Earlier, a fast start to the match saw four opportunities created during the opening five minutes.

The first three were carved out by Hereford and Harry White’s second-minute header was the easiest.

Rising high to meet Eliot Richards’ left-wing free kick, which had been conceded after Heslop hauled down McGrath, White wastefully missed the target from four yards.

Moments later, Richards’ tame attempt almost caught out Adam Bartlett when it took an unexpected bobble off a lively pitch, but the City keeper parried away the danger.

Keiran Thomas also called Bartlett into action at his near post after cutting in from the right.

At the other end, meanwhile, Joe Tait headed wide of Bulls keeper Martin Horsell’s near post following a Law corner.

There were then no further opportunities until Langstaff opened the scoring at the end of a flowing City move.

Law spread play brilliantly to send Kallum Griffiths scurrying down the right flank.

In turn, the City full back picked out Jon Parkin on the edge of the box and he guided the ball to the far post where a charging Langstaff tapped in from three yards.

In response, White’s curling 20-yard shot was comfortably gathered by Bartlett.

But the City keeper had to display sharper reflexes to repel a close-range scrambled effort by Ryan Green before White shot into the ground from the rebound eight yards out and Griffiths headed off the line.

Moments later, Bartlett also caught McGrath’s rising 25-yard attempt before the half ended after Tait’s far-post header from a left-wing Law free kick was claimed from under his crossbar by Horsell.

After the restart, Hamza Bencherif stooped low to meet a Law free kick only for his header to be safely gathered by Horsell.

Another diagonal Law ball to the right also saw Griffiths nick the ball off Jordan Lam, but his left-footed, 15-yard shot flashed wide.

The twin introductions of Jamie Bird and Lance Smith then saw the Edgar Street faithful find their voices and, after Bartlett made a terrific save to push away Jordan Cullinane-Liburd’s header, Green somehow headed over from the rebound.

Hereford were level, though, on 65 minutes when McGrath’s 15-yard volley, despite lacking any real conviction, beat an unsighted Bartlett far too easily.

As the game entered its final throes, Heslop released Langstaff through the right channel but, with his angle diminishing, the City marksman sliced over.

Home sub Calvin Dinsley also drilled just off target from the edge of the box on 90 minutes, while Cullinane-Liburd headed over a vacated goal after Bartlett failed to punch McGrath’s right-wing, stoppage-time free-kick.