A STUNNING 25-yard shot by defender Dean Smith gave Hereford a deserved draw at Layer Road in the Nationwide League Third Division on Saturday.

Smith's powerful shot, direct from a free-kick, capped a fine display by the former skipper and looked like being enough to give Hereford their first win at Colchester for 20 years. But substitute Robbie Reinelt seized on an error by goalkeeper Andy DeBont 12 minutes from time to ensure a share of the spoils for the home side. DeBont was unable to gather a cross from Joe Dunne under pressure from Steve Whitton and ex-United midfielder Richard Wilkins, making the first home appearance of his second stint at Layer Road, returned the ball into the centre where it was headed home by Reinelt.

By and large, though, the game was a drab affair with little in the way of goalmouth action until the last quarter-of-an-hour when either side could easily have won the game. United, who fielded an unchanged side, were first into the action when an excellent run by skipper David Norton, who once again showed up well on the right of the Hereford midfield, ended with a pass to Murray Fishlock. The full-back made ground down the left before crossing to the far post and Gareth Stoker met the ball with a powerful header which was directed too close to home keeper Garrett Caldwell. Little was then seen of the United attack until the second period when twice early on the combination of Norton and Gavin Mahon came close to breaking the deadlock.

After 48 minutes the United skipper's cross just evaded the on- rushing Mahon, but two minutes later the midfielder did get in a header to another cross but his effort narrowly cleared the bar. After DeBont had made a good save from Wilkins, United took the lead when Adrian Foster was pulled down outside the penalty area by David Gregory, who spent a brief and unproductive spell on loan at Edgar Street a couple of seasons back. Referee Fletcher pulled out the yellow card and Smith offered further punishment for Gregory's indiscretion with his superbly executed free- kick. After the Colchester equaliser, DeBont redeemed himself with two fine saves, one from a Mark Kinsella 20-yarder, the other from a David Greene header following a Chris Fry cross. But the best effort came from Hereford's Keith Downing who floated a 30-yard left-foot shot towards the top corner, only to see Caldwell produce a brilliant save at the expense of a corner.

Hereford: DeBont, Norton, Fishlock, Smith, Brough, Townsend, Stoker, Downing, A. Foster, Hargreaves, Mahon. Subs not used: I. Foster, Pitman, Cook.

Attendance: 2,723.