Hereford United 0 Notts County 0 HEREFORD disappointingly failed to build on their two excellent Holiday away wins in front of the biggest Edgar Street League 2 crowd of the season on New Year's Day.

The Bulls failed to break through a solid County defence but the point keeps them in second place in the League 2 table.

Hereford made two changes from the side which won at Bradford. Sam Gwynne replaced the injured Clint Easton and Steve Guinan took over from Trevor Benjamin who was named among the substitutes after being involved in a car accident on Saturday.

County should have taken the lead with only five minutes played.

Kris Taylor allowed Lawrie Dudfield to pull the ball back from the bye-line but Richard Butcher, unmarked and only 15 yards out, blazed high and wide.

Simon Johnson clipped a shot just wide shortly afterwards and leading scorer Theo Robinson had a low shot saved as Hereford sought the breakthrough.

But County had another good chance on 13 minutes when the Hereford defence failed to clear a Neil Mackenzie corner and Hector Sam somehow screwed his shot wide from two yards.

County made a lively start to the second period and almost took the lead inside the first 30 seconds with a flashing Butcher drive which drew a fine save from Wayne Brown.

Hector Sam then blasted a good opportunity wide.

But it was the Bulls who had the better of play after that and were the dominant force at least in terms of possession.

Clear-cut openings were few and far between although Johnson almost profited from some fine play by the outstanding Ben Smith but fired his drive just over the top.

And Guinan rose highest at the far post to meet a Johnson cross but headed down and wide.

To make the afternoon even more disappointing for the Bulls, a second-half yellow card for Toumani Diagouraga after an innocuous challenge will rule the midfielder out of United's home clash with Shrewsbury.

It was the on-loan Watford midfielder's fifth caution of the season.

Hereford: Brown; McClenahan, Beckwith, Collins, Taylor; Gwynne (Benjamin, 77 min), Smith, Diagouraga, Johnson; Guinan, Robinson. Subs: Ingham, McCombe, Palmer, Fitzpatrick.

Notts Co: Pilkington; Canoville, Tann, Pearce, Hunt; Parkinson, Mackenzie, Butcher, McCann (Mayo, 88 min); Dudfield, Sam (Silk, 80 min). Subs: Lee, Weir-Daley, Sandercombe.

Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire) Attendance: 3,945 Yellow cards: Hereford - Diagouraga, foul, 67 min; Notts County - Parkinson, kicking ball away, 88 min.