All square at Selhurst Park at the interval

8:50pm Tuesday 12th August 2008

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MOSES Ashikodi gave Hereford the lead four minutes before the break in their Carling Cup first round tie with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

But the home side were gifted an equaliser just before the interval when goalkeeper Darren Randolph allowed a shot by Nick Carle to slip through his hands and into the net.

Hereford were on the back foot in the early stages and Randolph did well to punch clear a dangerous left-wing cross.

The Bulls broke smoothly out of defence on a couple of occasions and Simon Johnson’s cross forced the first corner on 12 minutes, although this came to nothing.

Matt Done had the first shot of the evening, a left-foot drive on 16 minutes which was comfortably saved by Darryl Flahavan.

Ashikodi then drove a vicious, angled drive just over.

On 31 minutes, Hereford were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out and Robbie Threlfall’s curling drive cleared the bar by inches.

Palace forced their first corner of the game on 38 minutes but Nick Carle’s flag-kick was easily dealt with by the Bulls defence.

The Bulls took the lead on 41 minutes, when, after a neat move out of defence, Ashikodi nipped in between two defenders to head in Kris Taylor’s cross.

Palace tried to hit back immediately, but Carle sliced his shot badly over from a good position.

Carle levelled, however, seconds before half-time when his 20-yard shot wen through Randolph’s hands and into the corner of the net.