TOM Barkhuizen kept alive Hereford’s dwindling hopes of avoiding the drop with a second half equaliser at Edgar Street.

The Bulls had been lucky to still be in touch after a poor first half which had seen Stefan Stam put through his own goal and Plymouth’s Simon Walton miss a penalty.

Hereford boss Richard O’Kelly made three changes for their must-win match against their fellow strugglers.

Ryan Green was ruled out by injury so Byron Anthony was drafted in at right-back.

In midfield, Will Evans was recalled in place of Joe Colbeck while Nathan Elder was preferred to Delroy Facey.

With no goalkeeper named on the bench, there was a place for Benoit Dalibard as well as, Sam Clucas, back after injury, and Yoann Arquin.

Former Bull Nick Chadwick was named to lead the Argyle attack.

After repelling a period of Argyle pressure, United forced the first corner on five minutes.

Michael Townsend made a fine run to meet Kenny Lunt’s cross but headed harmlessly over.

Hereford, showing plenty of enthusiasm for their task, almost benefited when Elder charged down an attempted clearance from keeper Jake Cole.

But the ball went spinning away towards the touchline rather then goalwards.

On 12 minutes, a poor touch by Elder lost the ball in midfield and Argyle stormed downfield to force their first corner.

But the Bulls won the ball from a short flag-kick and James Chambers short pass gave Tom Barkhuizen a shooting chance which he scuffed at keeper Jake Cole.

Argyle had a chance when Hereford’s marking was not all it might have been to a Paul Wotton free-kick with Alex MacDonald nipping in to head wide.

Warren Feeney was almost the beneficiary of a misunderstanding between Stefan Stam and Dave Cornell but the Bulls skipper finally succeeded in getting the ball away.

Then a free-kick from 30 yards by Robbie Williams only cleared the bar by a couple of feet.

Argyle forced a second corner on 24 minutes but a foul from Wotton’s flag-kick brought the Bulls a free-kick.

Hereford had a better opening a minute later.

Nicky Featherstone’s pass sent Richard Penniket away and his shot flashed across goal and just wide.

Wotton provided more danger with another free-kick which everyone missed but which went just wide of the Bulls goal on 28 minutes.

Disaster struck for the Bulls on the half-hour.

Warren Feeney and Stam chased a through ball and the Hereford skipper, in trying to clear the ball only lobbed the ball over Cornell and into his own net.

Hereford’s response was a 30-yarder from Will Evans which went out of the ground.

Stam almost gifted Argyle a second after 36 minutes.

The former Yeovil defender slipped under pressure from Chadwick who took the ball on and then fired the ball wide of a gaping goal.

After 41 minutes, Argyle had a great chance to bury the Bulls when Chambers was adjudged to have fouled Feeney in the area.

But Simon Walton smashed the spot-kick against a post and the ball was cleared to safety.

Penniket had a shot deflected behind for a corner as Hereford tried to get back on level terms before the interval.

Six minutes after the break, the Bulls were back in the game.

A quickly taken free-kick by Evans was headed into the area by Anthony and Barkhuizen showed great composure to round a defender before shooting into the roof of the net.

With Hereford now seeking to pile pressure on an evidently rattled Argyle side, Anthony fired a shot straight at Cole from 15 yards.

Penniket then made a promising run which was wasted by a feeble shot from 30 yards.

Even Townsend joined in, drawing a safe with a weakly hit overhead shot from a cross by substitute Delroy Facey.

The replacement had a chance himself from a good pass by Barkhuizen on 70 minutes but sliced his effort horribly wide.

Hereford continued to create chances, though, and Cole had to dive to save a shot from Evans on 74 minutes.

And Anthony sent a shot sailing high over moments later.

Plymouth’s attack was little seen but Feeney found some space to send a shot flashing wide on 81 minutes.

Hereford, however, continued to press forward in search of a winner and Barkhuizen blazed high over after neat play by Evans and Joe Colbeck.

And Facey got into another good shooting position only to finish weakly.

Despite all their efforts, however, the Bulls could not break through and had to be content with a point.

Hereford: 4-3-1-2: Cornell; Chambers, Stam, Townsend, Anthony; Featherstone, Lunt, Evans; Barkhuizen (Clucas 90); Elder (Facey 65), Penniket (Colbeck 73). Subs not used: Dalibard, Arquin.

Plymouth: 4-4-2: Cole; Berry, Purse, Blanchard, Williams; MacDonald (Young 76), Walton, Wotton, Hemmings; Chadwick (Fletcher 65), Feeney (Hourihane 90). Subs not used: Larrieu, Bhasera.

Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).

Attendance: 4,597 (including 1,244 from Plymouth).

Goals: Stam og, 30 min, 0-1; Barkhuizen, 52 min, 1-1. Yelllow cards: Hereford – Anthony, foul, 82 min;