Hereford United faced Dagenham & Redbridge at Edgar Street this afternoon as they looked to take another step towards finalising their place in the play-offs for a third season running. They had to do without Ryan Green who missed out through injury and, in the only other change from the side that started against Morecambe, Adam Stansfield was demoted to the bench, meaning Andy Williams partnered Danny Carey-Bertram in attack.
United dominated what was a fairly uneventful first half, and began well when Craig Stanley headed into the arms of Tony Roberts at the far post, following Alex Jeannin's free kick from the right. Dean Beckwith should have done better when he headed the Frenchman's corner wide from a central position with seven minutes gone, then Williams volleyed towards goal from twenty five yards, but his effort didn't really trouble Roberts in goal for the visitors.
Hereford were again most threatening in the air, and it took a sliced clearance that went out for a corner to deny Tamika Mkandawire, who'd headed Stanley's flick on header, towards goal. Daryl Taylor finally got the better of his man with little more than ten minutes of the first half remaining, after several attempts, and cut back to Jamie Pitman for Hereford's best opening of the half. However Pitman's first time shot flashed wide of the near post. Wayne Brown was forced into his first save of the afternoon in the closing stages of the half when he went down well to his right to claim a header from Sam Saunders.
Saunders again went close for The Daggers just after the restart, but headed over this time before The Bulls put together their best move of the match. Simon Travis played the ball down the flank to Taylor, who returned the pass having advanced past his marker, Scott Griffiths, and into the box. Travis crossed to the far post where Stanley headed the ball back across goal, as the angle was too tight to shoot from. The ball was then cleared behind for the first of four corners in succession. A minute later, Rob Purdie went close when he hit Jeannin's throw in first time, but his shot flew into the side netting.
With seventy four minutes gone, The Daggers made a double change and United replaced Pitman with Stuart Fleetwood, allowing Williams to move to the left flank, and Fleetwood was immediately in the action. Williams crossed from the left and, had it not been for a great last-ditch touch on by Anwar Uddin, Fleetwood would have been on que to tap home. However, Fleetwood was on the end of the resulting corner with his head, which then hit Saunders, who was adjudged by the referee to have handballed, and a penalty was given. Purdie stepped up calmly, and placed the ball right into the corner, just beyond the reach of Roberts, who'd guessed correctly and dived to his right.
As the visitors has very rarely threatened, it looked as though the single goal would be enough to claim the three points for Hereford, but referee R. Fletcher had other ideas. Griffiths made his way into the United box having managed to hold off Beckwith, but Brown was out to meet him and, seemingly fairly, smothered the ball at his feet. Fletcher though, blew up and pointed to the spot, leaving some very baffled faces on and off the pitch. Glenn Southam didn't mind though, as he stepped up and tucked the ball away to Brown's left for the equaliser.
Graham Turner introduced Adam Stansfield for Taylor immediately, with five minutes to go, but to no result. The Dagger's sub Paul Benson went closest to a winner, as he fought off Beckwith, but shot narrowley wide of the far post.
The point, which was probably a fair result in a lacklusture game, means Hereford stay in second place, with a five point advantage over Halifax - who are in third with a game in hand. The attendance of 2,561, including 68 away fans, was the highest of the day.
HUFC: Brown, Travis, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Purdie, Stanley, Pitman, Taylor, Carey-Bertram, Williams. Subs: Mawson, Gwynne, King, Fleetwood, Stansfield.
D&RFC: Roberts, Blackett, Cole, Uddin, Foster , Saunders, Southam, Bruce, Griffiths, Moore, Mackail-Smith. Subs: Vickers, Lettejallon, Benson, Akurang, Hogan.