NATIONWIDE League Second Division championship chasers Millwall ended Hereford's cup football this season by dumping them out of the Auto Windscreens Shield with this first round win at Edgar Street.

Millwall's Scottish strikers Steve Crawford and Jason Dair grabbed two goals apiece to have the tie wrapped up in just 53 minutes. The four-goal margin was a cruelly misleading reflection of Hereford's amount of possession. But it was a case of Christmas arriving early for the Lions as United fed them gift-wrapped goals like an over indulgent Santa Claus.

Three of the goals were directly attributable to defensive errors. But all credit to Crawford and Dair who, along with midfielder David Sincair, cost Millwall £1.4 million in a package deal from Raith Rovers - they gobbled up their chances with clinical efficiency. It left a non-plussed United director of football Graham Turner saying: ''I have never managed a team which has given away so many silly goals in so many games. We dominated the first 25 minutes but even in our good spells we are not scoring and still conceding goals.

''It was another disappointment after a good display at Exeter in our previous game. We will just have to keep working to get it right.'' To make matters worse, Jonathan Cross, United's on-loan signing from Wrexham, who was making his first appearance at Edgar Street, had to be withdrawn in the 55th minute with a thigh injury. A thigh strain also handicapped keeper Andy DeBont's ability to kick the ball.

Hereford's first defensive mishap came after only three minutes. A mistimed headed clearance by John Brough fell into the path of Dair who drove his shot well out of DeBont's reach into the net. For the next 25 minutes United dominated the play. Millwall keeper Tim Carter had to drop to his knees to collect a shot from Adrian Foster and he was relieved to see a 25-yard chip by Cross dip just over the bar. Skipper David Norton then moved forward to fire a ground shot inches wide.

As half-time approached Millwall came more into the game and went two up in the 38th minute. David Norton, in trying to keep the ball in play, succeeded only in giving possession to Lucas Neill. The Australian teenager centred to Crawford who neatly turned back inside the home defence and netted with an unstoppable shot.

Immediately after the interval Hereford forced three corners in succession. But, in Millwall's first attack of the half in the 48th minute, the usually reliable Dean Smith dwelled on the ball and was robbed by Crawford. The Scottish international put Dair through to pick his spot and make it 3-0. Five minutes later the Lions completed the kill when Crawford snapped up his 11th goal of the campaign with a close range shot after DeBont had parried away a fierce drive by Sinclair.

Hereford: DeBont, Warner, Brough, Smith, Matthewson, Norton, Cook, Stoker, Hargreaves (Preedy 76 mins), Adrian Foster, Cross (Ian Foster 55 mins) Sub not used: Law.

Attendance: 1,701.