Hereford United 0 Walsall 1 POWERFUL League 2 leaders Walsall just shaded Saturday's clash at Edgar Street thanks to Chris Westwood's 62nd minute goal.

The match was, as United chief Graham Turner succinctly put it, a tale of two headers', Westwood's which found the net and one from Tim Sills, which had drawn a breathtaking save from Walsall keeper Clayton Ince a couple of minutes previously.

Alex Jeannin got away on the left and delivered a telling cross which Sills met perfectly. The ball was heading for the bottom corner of the net until the big goalkeeper threw himself to his right to turn the effort around the post for a corner.

That was, by far, United's best effort on goal in a game in which serious scoring chances were few and far between.

Hereford, with loan players John Eustace and Neil MacKenzie back in the side after missing the FA Cup tie at Shrewsbury, worked energetically throughout the 90 minutes.

But Walsall are not top of the table, with the division's best defensive record, for nothing, and their strong defence allowed precious few clear openings.

In the first period, Walsall only threatened with long range efforts from Hector Sam, Dean Keates and Michael Dobson.

Hereford saw a dangerous Jeannin cross acrobatically cleared on 22 minutes but they almost caught the visitors out seven minutes before the interval.

MacKenzie's teasing free-kick found Ince racing from his goal but Bulls skipper Tamika Mkandawire got there first to nod the ball towards the target only for a Walsall boot to intervene and complete the clearance.

Hereford appeared fortunate to survive 10 minutes after the break when Phil Gulliver, who had an otherwise excellent game, appeared to remove Martin Butler's legs from under him as he bore down on goal.

But then, just after Ince's superb save from Sills, Hereford found themselves a goal adrift.

Dean Beckwith did well to dispossess Butler at the expense of a corner and Mark Kinsella's flag-kick was initially headed away.

The Republic of Ireland international returned the ball to the centre, however, and Westwood - only in the side due to the suspension of Craig Pead - found the space to head past Brown.

Andy Williams volleyed wide and Mkandawire had a header from Alan Connell's cross saved but Walsall had, perhaps, the two best chances to find the net again.

Brown pulled off a fine parry when substitute Mark Wright raced clear 10 minutes from time.

And then substitute Ishemel Demontagnac was ruled to have run the ball out of play as he raced along the bye-line before firing past Brown.

Sills who had to leave the field with a cut to his head on 73 minutes should be fit for Tuesday's cup replay with Shrewsbury.

Hereford: Brown; Mkandawire, Gulliver, Beckwith; Purdie, Eustace, MacKenzie, Jeannin; Connell; Sills (Sheldon, 73 min), Williams. Subs not used: Thompson, Rose, Webb, Ferrell.

Attendance: 4,462.