INJURIES look set to hamper Hereford United's top three Nationwide Conference push with eight players attempting to regain fitness for the visit to Telford United this Tuesday, writes ADAM WORKMAN.

Tony James and Ian Rodgerson (both hamstring) and Paul Fewings (groin) are all rated by Bulls chief Graham Turner as 'extremely doubtful' for the match.

Turner expects Leroy May, another hamstring victim, to be fit and holds out similar hope for young winger Paul Parry, who should beat an ankle injury in time for Tuesday.

Matt Clarke, Paul Sturgess and Gavin Williams were all due to play in the reserves last night in an effort to recover from their respective injuries and illness.

A not-so-familiar face could soon be back in the Bulls starting line-up as Turner hoped that striker Steve Piearce would also figure in the reserves' match for 'at least 45 minutes'.

The summer signing from Halesowen played only eight Conference games for United before being sidelined by a long-term back problem.

Telford lie in 15th place ahead of Saturday's fixtures, but will come into Tuesday's clash of the Uniteds off the back of three straight Conference wins.

This Saturday they will be gunning for a Wembley place when they meet Kettering Town in the second leg of the FA Umbro Trophy semi-final.

The Bulls will end a 10-day break when they take the field at the Bucks Head and during that time results have conspired to force them down the table from third to sixth.

Wins for Yeovil, Scarborough and Morecambe propelled the trio above the Bulls and, with no fixture on Saturday, Hereford could find themselves as low as seventh by Tuesday.

Meanwhile, speculation on the future of two Hereford stars continued this week with renewed reports of Premiership interest in teenager Paul Parry.

But Turner described stories of Liverpool and Leicester City tracking Parry, with a mention of a fee in excess of £300,000, as 'exaggerated and way out of date'.

Turner said: "One or two clubs were interested in Paul and I am aware of Liverpool watching him.

"I have an understanding with the young players and I am not going to stand in their way."

Turner also played down talk of Gavin Williams moving to cash-strapped First Division club Luton Town after Hatters boss Lennie Lawrence expressed interest in the ex-YTS youngster.