Hereford 1 Dagenham 1

Hereford United's stuttering progress towards the Nationwide Conference play-offs moved one step forward with a point against their mid-table Essex rivals on Saturday.

But their advance is painful, to say the least, with their recent run of three points from four games doing nothing to enhance claims for the hoped-for second promotion spot.

With rivals Halifax, Morecambe and Stevenage all picking up three points, Hereford's hold on second place is looking more tenuous than it did, although they should still have little difficulty picking up one of the four play-off spots.

With three games against struggling sides to come in their next three clashes, two victories should ensure a shot at a Football League return for the third successive campaign.

Dagenham did little to provide entertainment with their three-man defence comfortably soaking up most of the pressure created. A strong, blustery wind also negated Hereford's usual free-flowing football.

Hereford made the early running and could have taken the lead after only three minutes.

A foul on Daryl Taylor on the right wing allowed Alex Jeannin to deliver a deep free-kick to the far post. Craig Stanley escaped the Dagenham defence but was unable to beat 'keeper Tony Roberts with his poorly-directed header.

Six minutes later, Dean Beckwith beat the visitors' defence to a Jeannin corner but headed a long way wide.

Hereford continued to enjoy the lions' share of the attacking and a 30-yarder by Andy Williams was grasped by Roberts under his crossbar on 16 minutes.

The best first-half opening for Hereford fell to Jamie Pitman who was well-placed to receive a Taylor cross but thumped his shot high and wide on 36 minutes.

Three minutes later, however, a rare raid from Dagenham saw Wayne Brown produce a fine save when Sam Saunders headed a Scott Griffiths cross towards the bottom corner of the goal.

Hereford's general dominance continued after the interval but the opening goal did not arrive until the 77th minute following the eighth of nine corners gained by the Bulls during the half.

In the scramble following Jeannin's flag-kick, Dagenham's former Hereford loan player Anwar Uddin was deemed to have handled and Rob Purdie stepped up to score from the spot.

It was, ironically, Hereford's former Dagenham loan player, Dean Beckwith, who was the guilty party when they equalised six minutes later. Beckwith was judged to have fouled Griffiths in the Hereford area and Glen Southam sent Brown the wrong way with the penalty.

In the closing stages, it was the visitors who came closest to snatching the points.

Sub Paul Benson evaded the attentions of Beckwith before thrashing a shot across goal and wide of the target.

HEREFORD: Brown, Travis, Beckwith, Mkandawire, Jeannin, Taylor (Stansfield 85), Pitman (Fleetwood 72), Stanley, Purdie, Carey-Bertram, Williams. Subs not used: Mawson, Gwynne, King.

ATTENDANCE: 2,561.