THE honours finished even at Edgar Street on Saturday in the fourth round of the FA Umbro Trophy but there was little to savour in a dire encounter.

Indeed, such was the quality of the football on display that the main talking point of the match was arguably an injury - Leigh defender Iain Swan was stretchered off five minutes from full-time after he swallowed his tongue in a clash of heads with home striker Rob Elmes.

The Lancashire visitors stifled Hereford attempts to play anything approa-ching attractive football and their high foul count, coupled with frustratingly pernickety refereeing from Dorset official Kevin Pike, ensured a dismal opening 45 minutes.

Leigh, unbeaten in all competitions this year, set out their stall from the very start with tight defending and occasional counter attacks, although they rarely troubled United stopper Scott Cooksey.

The Bulls' top marksman, Gavin Williams, showed a slither of his abilities just before the interval when he crafted out a run and shot from the right-hand corner of the penalty area, but his strike was collected by Felgate, albeit at the second attempt.

Just a minute later, centre-back James Wall had the best chance of the half when he rose well to meet a corner from McIndoe, but could only direct the ball over the Leigh bar.

United player-coach Phil Robinson fired three yards wide in the 52nd minute following a through ball from Welsh striker Williams, who was one of the major focuses of attention for the dozen or so scouts from Football League clubs who watched the tie.

At the other end Dave Ridings should really have hit the target when well placed eight yards out, but blazed wide of Cooksey's goal.

It took the Railwaymen until the 71st minute to even register a shot on target, although the attempt from Robert Trees barely raised any pulses in the Bulls defence.

McIndoe had a gilt-edged opening three minutes later from Williams' pin-point cross, but headed two feet over the bar from the centre of the box.

Leigh top scorer Tony Black warmed Cooksey's fingers on 79 minutes when he cut inside and forced the United keeper to tip over at the near post, while Robinson stooped to head wide following a good cross from McIndoe eight minutes from the end.

And Felgate was spared an embarrassing moment four minutes into injury time when he missed his attempted clearance from a back pass and the ball stuck under the relieved keeper's feet.

Hereford: Cooksey, Clarke, Sturgess, Robinson, Gardiner, Wall, Rodgerson (Giddings 64 mins), Snape, Elmes, Williams, McIndoe. Subs not used: Quiggin, Baker, Gourlay, Moran.

Leigh: Felgate, Spooner, German (Harris 57 mins), Durkin, Farrell, Swan (Murphy 90 mins), Monk (Morrell 81 mins), Ridings, Kielty, Black, Trees. Subs not used: Matthews, Dootson.

Referee: K Pike (Gillingham, Dorset).

Attendance: 1,491.