Saturday, September 27, 2003

Hereford United's 100 per cent home record came to an unexpected end but they remain top of the Nationwide Conference after a pulsating 3-3 draw at Edgar Street on Saturday.

Just how Hereford failed to win their sixth straight home match will remain a mystery because the leaders dominated and fired an incredible 28 shots at the Gravesend goal.

However, the Bulls showed tremendous character because the visitors opened up a 2-0 advantage after 34 minutes, totally against the run of play.

United fought back to level matters before the interval but they needed to come from behind for a third time after the Kent outfit regained the lead just two minutes into the second half.

Gravesend's Chris Moore was dismissed for a second booking in the 86th minute and the visitors survived almost five minutes of stoppage time to hold out for a draw and extend their unbeaten record to four matches.

Hereford manager Graham Turner said: "I am not quite sure whether a championship chasing side can afford to concede three goals at home. We had a mountain to climb at 2-0 down but we came back and should have won the game. I thought that we were sloppy for two of their goals."

The Bulls could have been at least two goals ahead before the visitors put a decent move together because Paul Parry hit a fierce volley against the crossbar and Gravesend goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson somehow kept out a 25-yard rocket from Michael Rose.

But a defensive mistake by Richard Teesdale was punished in the 19th minute when Robert Haworth picked up the loose ball to score.

Teesdale and Parry both missed the target from close range before Wilkerson made a stunning acrobatic save to tip over Danny Williams' free kick.

The visitors added a second goal in the 34th minute when Adam Miller rifled a superb 30-yard effort into the top corner.

Gravesend's two-goal lead, however, lasted a matter of seconds because Guinan met Williams' cross at the near post to head in his eighth goal.

Hereford piled forward and, after Pitman had clipped the outside of a post, United achieved parity on the stroke of half time when Pitman's clever back heel set up David Brown to fire in from 10 yards.

Ben Smith had two strong penalty appeals turned down in added time before Gravesend unexpectedly regained the lead in the 47th minute after Haworth sprung the off-side trap and calmly lifted the ball over Matt Baker for his second goal.

Again, Hereford came fighting back when Smith hit home a swivelling left-foot shot from the edge of the area in the 50th minute and the Bulls continued to dominate.

Teesdale saw a header cleared off the line, Guinan had an effort ruled out for off-side and then missed the target from close range, while Tony James headed agonisingly wide deep into injury time.