THIS is the fifth time since 1972 that Hereford United have gone more than 500 minutes without a goal and this run is already the third worst.

The longest, and most recent, of the scoreless runs is much fresher in the memory.

That took place in United's first season back in the Football League and extended to 630 minutes before Steve Guinan broke the deadlock in a 3-0 win over Boston United.

The first time that such a run occurred was in one of United's most barren seasons ever for goalscoring, in 1977-8, when they were relegated from the old Division 3 after scoring only six goals away from home in the entire season. Steve Crompton's 59th minute goal in a 1-1 draw at Bury ended the run.

The run of 546 minutes in 1979-80, when United finished in the re-election zone in the old Division 3 also took place towards the end of the season, spanning March and April.

There was a run of 523 minutes in 1982-3 when United finished at the foot of the old Division 4. That run took place in early season, in September and October, and was punctuated by the departure of Frank Lord, allowing Tommy Hughes to preside over four goalless games before the spell was broken.

The return of ace marksman Dixie McNeil was instrumental in the end of the drought, with his sliced shot in the first match of his short-lived return hammered in by Sean Lane to bring a 1-0 win over Crewe.