Tuesday, April 5, 2005

AS they streamed away from Edgar Street last night, fans of Hereford and Carlisle could have been forgiven for wishing the season had ended with the final whistle of their important Conference match.

The shared points, which ensured Barnet could not be overtaken at the top of the table, left the former Football League rivals third and second respectively in the table.

That would be enough to ensure they avoided each other in the play-off semi-finals and also give them home advantage in the vital second leg.

But as it is, there are now five games to go before such matters are decided.

However, if justice prevails, the two sides, who served up an entertaining if goalless encounter, will be heavily involved in the end-of-season shake-up.

Hereford's director of football Graham Turner certainly held out strong hopes of post-season action for both clubs.

"Carlisle are a decent side," he said. "They will not be far off at the end of the season and I don't think we will be either.

"We had 20 minutes after half-time when we had them on the ropes and we needed a goal in that period but it didn't come for us.

"But it's been a solid performance, another clean sheet and that's four on the trot now."

While Hereford had rather the better of the possession, it was the Cumbrian visitors who might have snatched the game at the death.

Two good early efforts by Rob Purdie tested Matt Glennon in the Carlisle goal and the 'keeper also dived to grasp a low cross from Daryl Taylor who had done well to get past his man and reach the bye-line.

Lee Mills might also have done better after powering his way through, only to deliver a chip high and wide of the goal just before the ineterval.

After the break, Hereford continued to press and, after a series of three corners, Craig Stanley's powerfully-struck drive flashed across goal and narrowly wide.

Then Adam Stansfield raced on to a long through-ball from Andy Tretton but lashed his shot wide of the target.

But in the last five minutes, with Hereford starting to lose a bit of grip in midfield, substitute Glenn Murray twice went close for the visitors.

The tall striker prodded wide of an open goal after good work by Karl Hawley and then headed a Chris Lumsdon free-kick against the bar with the Hereford defence, for once, beaten.

Hereford: Mawson 7, Green 7, *Mkandawire 8, Tretton 7, Robinson 6, Taylor 6 (D Williams 73), Stanley 6, Pitman 7, Purdie 7, Mills 7, Stansfield 6. Subs not used: Scott, Travis, Hyde, Smikle.

Referee: Rob Lewis (Shrewsbury).

Attendance: 3,819.