Saturday, October 2, 2004

Hereford United saw their five-match winning run brought to an end by bogey side Burton Albion in a 0-0 draw at Edgar Street.

But things might have been much worse in the Nationwide Conference as the Bulls battled away for the entire second period with just ten men after Tamika Mkandawire was sent off a minute from the interval.

The central defender was trying to start another Bulls attack when he lost control of the ball as he was about to enter the Burton half.

His clumsy lunge to try to regain possession connected not with the ball but with former Kidderminster midfielder Andy Ducros' leg and Devon referee Andrew Turner produced a straight red card.

Graham Hyde was booked for protesting and Lee Mills was cautioned shortly afterwards for dissent when a decision failed to go his way.

With Jonathan Gould and Tom Smith picking up yellow cards in the second period, Hereford equalled in a single afternoon the number of cards they had picked up in 10 previous Conference matches.

By the time Mkandawire was dismissed, Burton, who completed a double over Hereford last season, should have been a goal to the good.

A poor defensive header by Smith left centre-back Lee Ayres in the clear 15 yards from goal.

The defender, who scored a costly -- from Hereford's point of view -- winning goal for Tamworth at Edgar

Street last season, had plenty of time to pick his spot but drove against a post.

Ayres still had a relatively easy opportunity to score when the ball rebounded to him but this time sliced the ball wide of the target.

Hereford themselves had a great chance to open the scoring on 26 minutes when Craig Stanley's powerful drive deflected off the Burton defence to leave an opening for Danny Williams.

But the midfielder, with a clear sight of goal, put his shot high and wide when he should have done better.

After the break, Burton, who had spent most of the first period carefully guarding the point they started with, started to make use of their man advantage and had the best chances.

But Hereford 'keeper Jonathan Gould once again proved his immense value to the side with two brilliant saves.

In the 63rd minute, the former Scotland man produced a brilliant point-blank tip-over to foil a well-struck effort from Craig Dudley.

Then, 15 minutes from time, he dived low to hold a powerful shot from Ducros after he seized on a mis-directed defensive header from Andy Tretton.

Hereford: *Gould 8, Travis 7, Mkandawire 6, Tretton 7, Smith 7, Robinson 6, Stanley 7, Hyde 7, D Williams 6 (Purdie 81), Mills 6 (Brown 66, 6), Stansfield 6 (James 81). Subs not used: Scott, Carey-Bertram.

Attendance: 3,320.