Hereford failed to avenge their FA Umbro Trophy semi-final defeat at The Lawn on Monday but at least picked up a hard-earned and deserved point from a scrappy Nationwide Conference game, writes Richard Prime.

Neither goalkeeper was overworked in a match which saw a lot of the action confined to midfield and few chances created.

Forest Green may feel that Hereford were fortunate with their goal, which defender Chris Burns steered past his own keeper, Steve Perrin. But the home side were similarly presented with their equaliser when Paul Sturgess gifted a pass to Martyn Foster who levelled after a neat one-two with his namesake, Adrian.

Playing down the considerable slope in the first half, Hereford, who fielded an unchanged team, had the better of the early play and went in front after 13 minutes.

John Shirley, who once again showed up well in the Hereford midfield, intercepted an intended clearance from Adam Lockwood and slipped the ball to Gavin Williams on the left of the Forest Green penalty area.

Williams drove in a cross which Jimmy Quiggin deflected on to Burns who could do nothing more than put the ball into his own net. A 25-yarder from Shirley skidded past Perrin's right post a minute later and then Hereford goalkeeper Scott Cooksey had to be alert to push away a well-struck free-kick from Mark Cooper as Green finally launched an assault on the Hereford goal.

Good work by Phil Robinson and John Snape released Quiggin but Perrin raced off his line to save as Hereford continued to have the better of play.

But deep into first-half injury time, the home side managed an equaliser which they had rarely threatened.

Sturgess seemed to have plenty of time to clear the ball downfield but instead directed it straight at Martyn Foster who burst into the penalty area and received a return pass from Adrian Foster before guiding a shot past Cooksey.

If the first half had produced little in the way of goalmouth action then the second had even less.

Robinson might have done better when he found space at the back post to a Williams corner but headed wide and Adrian Foster drove a shot well over Cooksey's crossbar after good work by Meechan.

After 71 minutes, Frankie Bennett, a scorer in the three previous games between the sides this season, looked set for a fourth when he forced his way through but Cooksey came out to make a good block.

After this there were few other opportunities, as Green seemed happy with the point which took them another step closer to safety.

Hereford: Cooksey, Clarke, Sturgess, Robinson (Rodgerson 60 mins), Wright, James, Quiggin (Giddings 77 mins), Snape, Elmes, Williams, Shirley. Subs not used: Baker, Plotnek, Parry.

Forest Green: Perrin, Cousins, Lockwood, M Foster, Clark, Burns (Sykes 86 mins), Cooper, Bennett (Middleton 74 mins), A Foster (Olney 68 mins), Meechan, Shaw. Subs not used: Daley, Ghent.

Referee: A Penn (Kingswinford).

Attendance: 1,076.