No first-half goals but plenty of action at Edgar Street

3:48pm Saturday 30th August 2008

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HEREFORD and Crewe produced an entertaining first 45 minutes but no goals in their League 1 clash at Edgar Street.

Hereford made a lively start but Randolph was the first of the goalkeepers to see action, fielding a drive from Tom Pope.

At the other end, a thunderous drive from Taylor flashed across goal and wide.

O’Leary, who had shown some neat touches in the early stages, tried his luck with a 20-yarder but sent the ball high over the goal and out of the ground.

Randolph did well to block a shot from Pope before an excellent end-to-end move allowed Done to force the afternoon’s first corner.

The former Wrexham player took the flag-kick himself but the ball was cleared.

Richard Rose rescued Hereford with an excellent challenge on Joel Grant after some less than decisive defending left the winger in the clear.

And Rose’s influence at the other end should then have brought a goal.

The full-back was sent clear by Guinan and produced an excellent cross which O’Leary headed over when he ought really to have hit the target.

A foul by skipper Ben Smith 25 yards out presented Billy Jones with a shooting chance but Randolph was equal to the effort, parrying the effort before diving on the ball to smother.

A cross by Hudson-Odoi was blocked in the six-yard box as Hereford continued to pose an attacking threat.

But Randolph was quickly back in the action, diving to save a Pope shot after a dangerous cross from Joel Grant.

And the Bulls keeper produced an even better save moments later, flying through the air to tip over a Michael O’Conner free-kick.

Crewe did have the ball in the net four minutes before the break, turning in Anthony Elding’s flick only to be ruled offside.