FORMER Wolves and England striker Steve Bull rescued a Nationwide Conference point for Hereford with a dramatic late intervention on Saturday.

Three minutes and 20 seconds of injury time had already elapsed when Bull appeared at the far post to power home a header from John Snape's superb cross.

Bull, who made his home debut as a 74th-minute replacement for Jimmy Quiggin, had, until that moment, done little to suggest that he would succeed where the United strike force had previously failed.

But his goal-poaching instinct, honed to perfection after 306 goals for Wolves and a clutch of England caps, remains intact and his run to the far post to meet Snape's cross brought back memories of his glory days at Molineux.

Bull's goal was a rare highlight for Hereford in a game from which they were fortunate to gain a point.

United were on the back foot for most of the first half and Nuneaton could easily have gone in at the interval with a comfortable lead.

Only poor finishing and a handful of good saves from Scott Cooksey preventing them from adding to Barry Williams' 38th-minute opener which had seen the Hereford defence hopelessly exposed.

Jason Peake and Lee Charles combined to release Ian King on the right and the midfielder's cross beat the entire Hereford defence to reach the unmarked Williams who gleefully smashed the ball home.

Referee Edwin Evans, who contrived to show seven yellow cards in a game with little in the way of bad fouls, hardly endeared himself to the Hereford crowd by refusing two clear penalties in the opening five minutes of the second half.

On each occasion Rob Elmes was the injured party, pushed over by Nuneaton defenders as he challenged for Ian Rodgerson crosses.

Elmes looked as if he had snatched an equaliser with five minutes remaining when he met a fine centre from Paul Sturgess but his bullet header flashed inches wide.

As this effort passed former United keeper Chris Mackenzie's goal - and he hardly put a foot wrong throughout - it seemed as though Hereford's final chance had disappeared.

But Bull had other ideas and the prospect of seeing one of the Midlands' greatest goalscorers in action - albeit, probably, only as a substitute - may attract some of the missing hundreds back to the Edgar Street terraces.

Hereford: Cooksey, Clarke, Sturgess, Robinson, Gardiner (James 46 mins), Wall, Quiggin (Bull 74 mins), Snape, Elmes, Williams, Rodgerson. Subs not used: Baker, Shirley, Moran.

Nuneaton: Mackenzie, Bacon, Love, Simpson, B Williams, Weaver, King, Charles (Crowley 86 mins), McGregor, Peake, J Williams. Subs not used: Young, Sykes, Kennerdale, Angus.

Referee: E Evans (Manchester).

Attendance: 1,743.