STRIKER Rob Elmes was more than happy to exclaim "Wunderbar!" after Hereford reached the third round of the FA Cup for the 12th time by knocking out Third Division Hartlepool.

The 29-year-old part-timer, a teacher of German at a Sutton Coldfield school, settled the issue with a 54th-minute headed goal.

It was not a textbook goal but typified the gritty and determined way Nationwide Conference club Hereford approached the tie.

Pool manager Chris Turner had done his homework and singled out United's 19-year-old left-winger Paul Parry as a potential danger man. So his marker, Darren Knowles, had kept him hugged tightly to the touchline in the first half.

But Parry is a left-side player who also has a useful right foot. This time he cut inside and delivered a looping centre into the goalmouth. All central defender Rune Vindheim could do was to head it high in the air.

As the ball dropped, Elmes challenged Vindheim's Norwegian compatriot, keeper Martin Hullund, beat him to the ball and headed it down. Michael Barron chased despairingly but could not prevent it entering the net as the home fans erupted.

There was no doubting that every Hereford player was out to give 100 per cent effort. Keeper Mark Jones brought off two blinding saves, worthy of his younger brother, Paul, the Southampton keeper, while the back four, in which young Tony James had a particularly good game, was solid and well organised.

John Snape and Mark Taylor covered a lot of ground in midfield and 20-year-old Gavin Williams often worried the Pool with his probing runs before he withdrew with an ankle injury in the 71st minute. Elmes and his striking partner Paul Fewings were allowed few scoring opportunities but never allowed their markers to relax.

For the first 25 minutes Sky TV cameras were mainly focussed in Hartlepool's half as Hereford dominated the play without managing to get in a telling shot. A dazzling run by Williams left four opponents floundering before he put Fewings through. The Meadow End crowd yelled for a penalty as he was brought down by Vindheim. But afterwards Fewings said it had been a brilliant tackle.

In the 28th minute the visitors almost took the lead from their first menacing raid. For once, Lane and Snape lost their discipline. Sam Shilton, son of England's legendary keeper, Peter, skipped past their lunging tackles. Gary Jones' dummy allowed the ball to run to Chris Freestone who fired in a full-blooded drive which hit Mark Jones' shins and away for a corner.

After this the Pool put together a number of constructive moves and Mark Jones had to dive full length to keep out a low shot from his namesake, Gary.

Once Elmes had scored it became nip and tuck. He headed just wide and Williams broke through, only to shoot over the bar. At the other end Mark Jones fielded long range shots from Graeme Lee and Kevin Henderson. In the 89th minute substitute Ian Rodgerson was only inches away from making it 2-0 with a blistering 20-yarder which hit an upright.

Tommy Miller, the Pool midfielder who has scored nine goals this season, rarely got a look-in and was booked for a foul. Hereford's Taylor received a yellow card for a foul and substitute Leroy May the same for time-wasting.

Hereford: Jones, Lane, Wright,James, Sturgess, Williams (Rodgerson 71), Taylor, Snape, Parry, Elmes (May 86), Fewings. Subs not used: Wall, Siddaway, Clarke.

Hartlepool: Hullund, Knowles, Shilton, Barron, Vindheim, (Stephenson (59), Lee Westwood, Miller, Mason (Henderson 75), Freestone, Jones (Clark 75). Subs not used: Dibble, Boyd.

Referee: A Leake (Darwen)

Attendance: 4,914.