Hereford United created the better chances against relegation-threatened Telford United in the Nationwide Conference at Edgar Street on Saturday, but it would have been an injustice if the Shropshire club had gone away pointless.

They enjoyed as much of the play as the Bulls and, in fact, the corner count was 10-6 in their favour.

Having collected just five points from a possible 33, Hereford have plunged dangerously near the relegation zone themselves and were looking to win this game and widen the gap over the teams below them. As the results turned out only Southport made ground on them and they dropped one place to 13th position.

The opportunities were there for Hereford to complete their second double of the season - they won 1-0 at Telford in September - and they were out of luck in that Paul Parry hit the woodwork and Christian Roberts and Tony James had goalbound efforts cleared off the line.

Even so, Roberts, an on-loan signing from Cardiff City who was making his Edgar Street debut, set up a gilt-edged chance for Steven Cowe in the 82nd minute. His right-wing cross left Cowe with only keeper Dean Williams to beat but the striker never connected properly with an attempted header which flew well wide.

With only one win in their last 13 games, the Bulls are seeing the inevitable slump in attendances. The turn-out of 1,592 was the lowest of the season for a Conference match at Edgar Street.

United director of football Graham Turner said: ''Our poor form since mid-December is hitting us financially as the gates are now falling 1,000 a match below what we had budgeted for.''

Turner was pleased that the team's attitude was much more positive that it had been in their previous outing at Doncaster, however, and right-back Lane said: ''It was a scrappy game but everyone gave 100 per cent. If we had been at the top of the table, the shot which hit the bar and the two cleared off the line would probably have gone in.''

The game was only eight minutes old when Roberts sent Gavin Williams away on the right to plant his centre at Parry's feet. The youngster let fly from 18 yards and the helpless Dean Williams was relieved to see the ball thud against the bar and bounce away to safety.

Midway through the half Roberts latched on to a corner from Mark Taylor and fired in a six-yard drive but Maurice Doyle was well positioned to boot it off the line.

At half-time Hereford central defender Stuart Evans had to retire with concussion. James moved into the centre of the defence and substitute Matthew Cross filled the left-back vacancy.

On the resumption Telford had as much of the play as Hereford and their best chance fell in the 66th minute to Scott Huckerby who cut in from the right and fired inches wide from a narrow angle. Soon after James saw his header blocked on the line by Carl Macauley.

Telford then survived Cowe's missed chance and in the 86th minute Lane was booked for a foul. After that it was the visitors who menaced the home goal and came close to snatching a winner in a couple of desperate goalmouth scrambles.

Hereford United: Quy, Lane, Evans (Cross 46th minute) Wright, James, Williams, Taylor, Cook, Parry, Cowe, Roberts. Substitutes not used: Rodgerson, Shirley.