Saturday, January 3, 2004

Hereford United cut the gap at the top of the Nationwide Conference to four points after Paul Parry's late strike at Edgar Street on Saturday.

For long periods, however, it looked as if the Bulls would fail to take advantage of Gravesend and Northfleet's fight-back to take a point off leaders Chester City.

United struggled to break down a determined Stevenage side - themselves winners at Chester's Deva Stadium last month - and as the 90 minutes ended the visitors had not allowed the Conference's leading scorers a single on target shot.

But then, as the game entered its 93rd minute, Parry, who has been under scrutiny by First Division Cardiff City in recent weeks, raced into the Stevenage penalty area to drive a left-foot shot past Lionel Perez and into the net.

If Parry's ninth goal of the season proved the critical moment, Hereford's other hero on the day was goalkeeper Matt Baker whose efforts kept United in the game in a first half when Stevenage created a number of chances.

Baker saved well-struck long range efforts from Simon Wormull and Jamie Cook and also got a good punch to a Cook corner with Wormull driving the ball just past the post from the edge of the penalty area.

But his principal moment of glory came on 30 minutes with a remarkable close range save from Dino Maamria.

The Tunisian striker got in a flicked header to a Wormull cross which was speeding into the net until Baker somehow reached backwards to claw the ball to safety with his right hand. That right-hand also caused Wormull a headache of a more physical kind when it thudded into the winger's skull as Baker punched a Jon Brady cross clear in the 82nd minute.

Wormull was stretchered off unconscious and only came round in the dressing rooms before being taken to hospital to be checked over.

While Baker was being kept busy, Perez was finding little to do at the other end.

When Hereford did manage to find openings, the principal culprit in wasting them was new signing Mark Beesley.

The former Chester man will not remember his home debut with any affection after an undistinguished afternoon.

He will certainly feel that he might have done better in the 65th minute when Parry sent him racing away with an astutely-played pass. But as Beesley sped into the area, his shot slid wide of the post without calling on Perez to make a save.