Back in 2006 Hereford United were chasing promotion to League Two.
United stutter at home again
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.