Dagenham and Redbridge 1 Hereford United 0

Hereford United were narrowly defeated on Tuesday evening despite a gritty display against the league leaders.

Boss Graham Turner will be encouraged by his side's resilience at a venue where it has proven difficult to be an away winner over the past year.

Nevertheless he will be wanting to extract more creativity from his side that only really offered an attacking threat through the use of direct football which was designed to unsettle the home side and dent their unbeaten record so far this season.

The first half was a dour affair. The Bulls had the best of the opening chances when Paul Parry broke down the right but his low cross was scrambled away from the feet of Kristian James by sprawling goalkeeper Tony Roberts.

Hereford to their credit refused to let Dagenham settle. John Snape had a couple of wayward snapshots to show for their efforts, but the Daggers shadowed the half territorially and before the long awaited half-time whistle they had seen Danny Hazelden's volley charged down and deflected for a corner.

Meanwhile Mark Brennan's instant effort from Danny Shipp's cross sailed over the bar and the dangerous Mark Janney cut in from the right before hitting a left foot shot over the bar once again. Janney fired just too high four minutes before the break but most people were glad to hear the whistle come, thinking the second half could only get better.

Hereford started brightly when Matt Clarke's long throw was headed on by Gavin Williams but no-one was on hand to apply a finishing touch.

Once again industry still prevailed over attacking flair until the 58th minute when the deadlock was broken as the crucial goal arrived. Tony James hesitated following a long Roberts clearance, the ball bounced and Janney stole ahead of him and went to take it around keeper Matthew Baker. The keeper's legs blocked his path but the ball rolled to Tony Lock to finish exquisitely from 25 yards.

Lock should have added a second three minutes later but he headed Janney's far post cross wide from just two yards. But Hereford created chances of their own and captain Ian Wright should have done better with a header following a corner with 18 minutes to go.

Janney, Brennan and, particularly, Steve Heffer all had good opportunities to tie the game up for Dagenham but they failed and the Bulls' bombardment late in the game could have brought a goal but for the goalkeeping of Roberts. In stoppage time Snape's left foot volley, after the Daggers failed to clear the ball, forced a fine reaction save from Roberts and then Wright dragged his close range shot wide of the post.

Dagenham: Roberts, Heifer, Vickers, Rooney, Smith, Brennan (Forbes 90), Janney, Terry, Shipp, Lock (McGavin 77), Hazelden. Subs unused: Stein, Hill, Gothard.

Hereford: Baker, Clarke, M Williams, Webb, Wright, T James, K James (Piearce 70), Snape, Elmes, G Williams, Parry. Subs unused: Goodwin, Evans, Davidson, Sedgemore.

Hereford bookings: T James and M Williams.

Attendance: 1,338