HEREFORD United were relegated from the Football League yesterday after a nail-biting afternoon at Edgar Street.

Despite beating Torquay 3-2, it was not enough for the Bulls as Barnet's 2-1 at Burton meant that they fell through the League Two trap-door.

This is how the drama unfolded.

2.32pm: The general feeling amongst Hereford fans is that the Bulls can pull off the Great Escape.

2.43pm: Edgar Street is almost full and the atmosphere builds inside the ground.

2.59pm: A smoke bomb goes off in the Meadow End as the teams emerge onto the pitch.

3.08pm: More smoke bombs go off in the Meadow End.

3.12pm: Hereford fans go wild as Delroy Facey opens the scoring for the Bulls.

But their mood is tempered seconds later when they hear that Barnet have scored at Burton.

Mark Byrne got the Bees' goal.

3.26pm: Torquay up the tempo as realisitcally they need to win to have a chance to get promoted to League One.

3.31pm: Bulls start to BULLieve that Hereford can stay up as news spreads that Burton have equalised.

Jacques Maghoma got the goal.

3.35pm: Hereford are awarded a penalty after Rob Purdie is brought down in the area.

Harry Pell duly steps up and cooly converts to put Hereford 2-0 up.

3.38pm: Torquay have a great chance to pull a goal back, but unbelievably the ball gets lodged between the post and a player's chest.

3.40pm: Hereford fans cannot believe what they are seeing as Rob Purdie smashes the ball home to make it 3-0.

3.48pm: Half-time at Edgar Street.

But seconds later, Bulls fans hear that Burton striker Calvin Zola blazed a penalty over the bar.

4.04pm: Torquay substitute Ryan Jarvis scores seconds after coming onto the field.

4.08pm: Barnet resume their game at Burton.

4.14pm: Barnet's Sam Deering misses an open goal.

4.23pm: Torquay pull another goal back through substitute Taiwo Atieno.

But the big news is at Burton as Mark Hughes has put Barnet into the lead.

It's all change now as, as it stands, it's Barnet who are staying up and Hereford who are going down.

4.35pm: Hereford's Kenny Lunt is stretchered off and is replaced by James McQuilkin.

4.49pm: The fourth official announces that there will be six added-on minutes at Edgar Street.

4.53pm: Three added-on minutes in the Burton v Barnet game.

4.55pm: All over at Edgar Street.

Hereford fans wait anxiously to hear if Burton have scored a dramatic equaliser that will save the Bulls.

4.57: Despite Banet goalkeeper Dean Brill making a brilliant save deep into injury time, Burton do not get the goal, which means that Hereford are relegated.

5pm: Some Hereford fans invade the pitch to commiserate with the Hereford fans.

Many Bulls fans stay behind to cheer the team off , but there is an eery atmosphere inside the ground as reality kicks in.