First-half stalemate with Saddlers

3:47pm Saturday 4th October 2008

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HEREFORD and Walsall battled out a drab, goalless first-half in their League 1 clash at Edgar Street.

Hereford forced an early corner but Taylor’s flag-kick came to nothing.

The next phase of play produced little in the way of quality with the scrappy nature of possession bringing few chances at either end.

Hereford were giving as good as they got but Walsall had the first serious shot of the match.

On nine minutes, Alex Nicholls let fly from 20 yards but Bulls keeper Darren Randolph dived to hold the effort.

Shortly afterwards, a neat pass by Jabo Ibehre gave Nicholls another shooting opportunity but the midfielder sliced the chance well wide.

Hereford, who had continued to have their fair share of play, forced their second corner after 19 minutes.

Taylor’s cross was dropped by keeper Clayton Ince but Hereford were unable to take advantage before the ball was cleared.

Hereford skipper Karl Broadhurst was fortunate to escape a caution when he brought down Ibehre on 27 minutes.

The free-kick, from 30 yards, was drilled by Michael Ricketts into the Hereford area.

It was Ricketts who had the best Walsall chance of the half, four minutes before the break when he picked up a pass from Richard Taundry but pulled his shot across goal and wide.

Bradley Hudson-Odoi had an even better opening for Hereford a minute later, racing in to meet a Taylor cross but heading wide of the target from a great position.

Hudson-Odoi did, however, force a low save from Ince with a 15-yard drive in injury time.