REINFORCED by four transfer deadline signings, Hereford fought doggedly for a point in a scrappy Easter Saturday Third Division game with championship-chasing Fulham.

Relegation-threatened Hereford are now without a home win in five outings but there was little to choose between them and a Fulham side who were unbeaten in eight games and have 10 away league victories to their credit. Boosted by a large following of Fulham fans, the attendance of 4,473 was the second highest of the season for a league match at Edgar Street. A hard, bumpy pitch did not make constructive football easy.

A quality cross from either side was a rare event and there were only a handful of exciting goalmouth incidents. United director of football Graham Turner was happy with the way his side battled, however, saying: ''We had to scrap for a point. If we had done that against sides less well organised than Fulham earlier in the season, we would not be in the trouble we are now.''

Turner's main criticism of United's performance was their failure to make good use of set piece situations. They showed strength in defence, however, and Dean Smith and Trevor Matthewson, supported by David Norton, gave Fulham strikers Darren Freeman and Chris Warren, a loan signing from Southampton, little scope. When top scorer Mike Conroy substituted for Rob Scott in the 67th minute he, too, could make little impression on the home defence. It was a similar story for Hereford's attack. New signing Tony Agana showed some neat touches but neither he nor Adrian Foster was able to extend Fulham keeper Mark Walton.

Freeman did have two chances to break the deadlock in the first half. In the 16th minute he managed to shrug off Smith's challenge but shot wide of the far post and a few minutes later he fired over the bar after Trevor Wood had punched away Scott's header. In the 63rd minute Hereford's luck was in when Paul Watson tapped a free-kick to Richard Carpenter whose 20-yard drive rattled the bar.

United's best two attempts to break the deadlock came from new signings Mark Turner, Graham's son, and Bradley Sandeman. Turner, who was later booked for a foul, hooked a shot just over the top, while Sandeman was only just off target with a cracking 25-yard drive in the closing minutes.

Hereford: Wood, Norton, Smith, Matthewson, Fishlock, Sandeman, McGorry, Turner, Hargreaves, A. Foster, Agana. Subs not used: Townsend, Warner, Hibbard.

Attendance: 4,473.