Saturday, February 22, 2003

Hereford skipper Ian Wright, such an influence for the previous four terms at Edgar Street, has been a peripheral figure in the Bulls' promotion campaign over the last three months.

But his eight-minute contribution to Saturday's 2-2 Nationwide Conference draw with struggling Stevenage may yet prove to have huge significance if Hereford go on to achieve their much-desired position in this season's promotion play-offs.

With Stevenage looking set to walk off with three points vital to their own struggle -- to beat relegation -- thanks to Barry Laker's 88th minute header, United boss Graham Turner threw Wright, surely one of his best-ever signings, into the fray as the clock ticked to 90 minutes.

Wright immediately moved up into attack and, with four minutes added time extended because of his own head injury, set about retrieving the damage.

With 97 minutes and 40 seconds played his moment arrived. Danny Williams swung over a last gasp corner and Wright leapt highest to power the ball into the net and save a vital point.

"It was a tremendous leap by Ian Wright," said Turner. "He must have been higher than the cross bar when he headed that one in."

When Stevenage boss Graham Westley had last brought a team to Edgar Street -- Farnborough on the season's opening day -- Jamie Pitman netted both United goals in a 2-1 win.

This time, Pitman, marking his 100th appearance in Hereford colours, found the net again but unfortunately it was his own.

On 25 minutes, Danny Carroll's cross-shot seemed to be heading out of play until Pitman slipped in trying to clear and guided the ball into the corner of the net.

Hereford, who generally were having the better of the play, took until the 51st minute to level when top-scorer Steve Guinan powered home a Jay Lovett cross at the near post.

This was no more than Guinan deserved as he had earlier had a goal ruled out by a debatable offside decision.

Referee Tattan surpassed even this, among a number of other contentious decisions, by failing to award a penalty for a clear foul on John Grant 16 minutes from time and when Laker leapt to head home Michael Warner's cross it seemed as if it was not to be Hereford's day.

Wright, however, as so often during his near-200 games for the Bulls, had other ideas.