FULL-BACK Ken Mallender will never forget his dramatic equaliser that kept alive Hereford United's cup dreams.

The former Sheffield United and Norwich City defender fondly recalls his injury-time leveller against Northampton at the Hawthorns.

Mallender, now 58, did not score a more crucial goal for the club because it paved the way for Dudley Tyler's winner and a showdown with Newcastle United in next round of the competition.

"I happened to be standing in the penalty area and the ball came to me, so I just hit it and it happened to go in," remembered Mallender, who lives in Hereford.

"It was the most important goal I ever scored because, otherwise, we would never have got the chance to play Newcastle. I was so delighted with the goal that I set off on a lap of honour."

Mallender joined Hereford on leaving Norwich and was looking for a full-time job outside football.

However, the defender's stint at Edgar Street turned out to be happiest time of his entire playing career.

"For one reason or another I left Norwich and fortunately I joined Hereford who were the premier non-league team and I got a job as a rep at Cadbury. Eventually we got into the Football League and I turned professional again because I had to take so much time off work. But, to be honest, the cup run made no difference to me."

He added: "The team itself had a fantastic spirit. We were not a young team, a lot of us had experienced League soccer, but it was like a last chance for all of us. Most importantly, we all enjoyed it."