Match report: Bulls up their game and claim point over full-time King's Lynn

Hereford will be left ruing missed chances and a disallowed goal as they had to settle for a point against full-time side King's Lynn.

Bulls boss Paul Caddis made two changes to the side that progressed to the third qualifying round of the FA Cup at Ilkeston Town on Tuesday, bringing in Yusifu Ceesay and Matt Preston for the injured Aaron Skinner and Alex Babos.

While Hereford had the best chances throughout the game at a sodden Edgar Street, they would have been left feeling punished by some questionable decision-making when a goal from Lawson D'Ath's free kick, trickling over the line with the visiting keeper watching on, was ruled out for an apparent offside.

As the game got underway, shortly after some torrential rain left the pitch somewhat waterlogged, Yusifu Ceesay sent a threatening cross into the box at the Blackfriars End, but it evaded the lurking strike force. At the other end of the pitch, Aaron Chapman beat Josh McCammon to an inviting cross moments before equalling Josh Hmami's effort with a routine save.

For the Bulls, their first clear-cut chance of the game came after a spell of pressure, with Ceesay taking on two down the left after being picked out by Tate Campbell, his low, driven effort was saved by the diving keeper at the near post.

For the Linnets, who went on to suffer some terrible cramp in the latter start of the game, Freddie Sass was able to get onto the end of a free kick but could only find the side-netting - but Tate Campbell was harshly booked for the offending challenge.

As for the standing water on the pitch, Josh Hmami's dangerous through ball to Ross Crane thankfully got caught in the water for Hereford to retrieve possession - but it led to a slippery affair in the first half, particularly with Kyle Howkins in defence and Dylan Crowe's battle with Ceesay on the left flank.

As the water caused problems for both teams, midway through the first half, Hereford could've broken the deadlock as Ahkeem Rose - fit enough to start - picked up a loose ball in midfield and drove towards the danger area. His solo run ended in a low shot being unleashed, narrowly going wide at the far post, having been deflected wide for a fruitless corner.

As the game passed the half-hour mark, handbags in the Linnets' half saw the referee brandish three more yellow cards after a foul on Ceesay - Lawson D'Ath and Sammy Robison, both already impressing, for Hereford and Sam Walker for the visitors. The Bulls quickly put the melee behind them, though, as D'Ath's effort from the resulting free kick was inches over Paul Jones's goal.

The Bulls kept knocking on the door, though as Rose could've turned a cross from the right home, but having failed to connect, Ceesay popped up on the left-hand side of the box with a rasping shot that was somehow miraculously blocked by a sliding Crowe.

As the fourth official raised the board, showing three added minutes at the end of the first half, 

As the board went up, Rose did incredibly well to hold the ball up and suck in all of Lynn's defenders. With Yusifu Ceesay then unmarked, he was teed up by Rose, but his disappointing shot was tame and straight at the 38-year-old former Exeter City stopper.

Half time: Hereford 0 - King's Lynn Town 0

With the sun now shining at Edgar Street, the second half got off to a slower start than how the first ended - with the first real chances not coming until the hour mark.

With the full-time Linnets happy to try and run the clock down, they were under pressure for much of the second half - especially as in the 60th minute Hereford recycled a half-cleared ball, with a bullet Ceesay header from point blank range somehow going wide from a Cosmos Matwasa cross.

Some beautiful play then saw Rooney, who had been organising and linking play all afternoon, have an effort palmed wide, having teamed up with Ceesay and D'Ath as the ball pinged between the trio's feet.

In a rare chance for the visitors as Hereford's confident-looking back four dealt with most things thrown at them, including the powerful Gold Omotayo, Stockport loanee Cody Johnson's 30-yard striker seemed to have got the better of Chapman, only being denied by the crossbar.

The Bulls were soon back in the driving seat, as Robinson forced Jones into a save and a parried shot from Rose unable to be curled home from Matwasa at a tight angle.

With Andy Williams, Chay Tilt and Aurio Teixeira now on for Adam Rooney, Cosmos Matwasa and Tate Campbell - the latter having been picked on by Lynn as he'd played the majority of the game on a yellow card - Hereford thought they had netted the winner.

As for the hosts, they were awarded a free kick for a foul on Yusifu Ceesay, a late decision from referee Liam Corbett, who really should've let Hereford play on as the ball was spread out wide on the right, the deadlock appeared to have been broken as the ball trickled over the goalline with the keeper unable to reach it. But with the linesman's flag raised, and after a lengthy chat with Corbett, Lawson D'Ath's goal was disallowed - seemingly because Matt Preston was offside.

Into the six minutes of added time, both sides still had chances to win the game. First, it was Hmami for King's Lynn, forcing Chapman into a save from a free kick routine before Andy Williams's header was saved as Hereford made one last-ditch attempt to claim the three points.

All in all, an improved performance at home from Hereford after some less-than-impressive displays. Defensively, they look assured, with a traditional 4-4-2 formation paying dividends - was it because the injured Babos wasn't trying to be shoehorned into a three-man midfield while keeping two up front? Either way, an entertaining game in which Hereford had chances to win. One defeat and still top seven, nice!

Full time: Hereford 0 - King's Lynn Town 0

Attendance: 2,491 (44 away)

Sponsors' man of the match: Adam Rooney

Hereford: Chapman, Robinson, Preston, Hudson, Matwasa (Tilt 77'), D'Ath, Campbell (Teixeira 82'), Ceesay, Rooney, Rose (Williams 77')

Subs not used: Horton, Derricott

King's Lynn Town: Jones, Sass, McFadden, Taylor, Crowe (Ronan 78'), Walker, Johnson, Crane (Barnes 66'), Hmami, McCammon (Cybulski 66'), Omotayo (Hughes 84')

Sub not used: Wilson