Hereford United 0 Walsall 0 HEREFORD’S battling display against Walsall was rewarded with a point from a game in which they had rather the better of matters.

Hereford boss Graham Turner made three changes following last week’s defeat at Leeds.

The Bulls chief retained a 4-5-1 formation with Andy Williams and Bradley Hudson-Odoi on the flanks to support lone striker Moses Ashikodi.

Former Walsall utility player Kris Taylor was also recalled to central midfield in place of Simon Johnson.

Hereford forced an early corner but Taylor’s flag-kick came to nothing.

The next phase of play produced little in the way of quality with the scrappy nature of possession bringing few chances at either end.

Hereford were giving as good as they got but Walsall had the first serious shot of the match.

On nine minutes, Alex Nicholls let fly from 20 yards but Bulls keeper Darren Randolph dived to hold the effort.

Shortly afterwards, a neat pass by Jabo Ibehre gave Nicholls another shooting opportunity but the midfielder sliced the chance well wide.

Hereford, who had continued to have their fair share of play, forced their second corner after 19 minutes.

Taylor’s cross was dropped by keeper Clayton Ince but Hereford were unable to take advantage before the ball was cleared.

Hereford skipper Karl Broadhurst was fortunate to escape a caution when he brought down Ibehre on 27 minutes.

The free-kick, from 30 yards, was drilled by Michael Ricketts into the Hereford area.

It was Ricketts who had the best Walsall chance of the half, four minutes before the break when he picked up a pass from Richard Taundry but pulled his shot across goal and wide.

Hudson-Odoi had an even better opening for Hereford a minute later, racing in to meet a Taylor cross but heading wide of the target from a great position.

Hudson-Odoi did, however, force a low save from Ince with a 15-yard drive in injury time.

Hereford pushed Williams up to support Ashikodi in attack at the start of the second period and the home side pushed forward strongly for a while.

But Walsall re-grouped and went close three times in quick succession.

Dwayne Mattis flicked a header wide before Ibehre flashed a shot past an upright from the edge of the area.

Then Stephen Roberts glanced a header from former Hereford loanee Chris Palmer’s corner wide.

It was Hereford, though, who went even closer to taking the lead on 66 minutes when Williams headed a neat cross from Taylor inches wide.

Then Taylor’s corner was completely missed by Ince with the ball bouncing off Bruno N’Gotty before Paul Boertin cleared off the line.

Hudson-Odoi did have the ball in the net four minutes from the end following a Taylor free-kick but the strike was disallowed for pushing.

Hereford: Randolph; Jackson, N’Gotty, Broadhurst, Rose; Hudson-Odoi, O’Leary, Diagouraga, Taylor; Williams, Ashikodi (Johnson, 90 min). Subs not used: Samson, Beckwith, Easton, Done.

Walsall: Ince, Boertin, Roberts, Gerrard, Hughes, Palmer, Mattis, Ibehre, Ricketts (Deeney, 86 min), Taundry, Nicholls (Demontagnac, 71 min). Subs not used: Smith, Gilmartin, Reich.

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire).

Attendance: 3,900 (994 from Walsall).

Yellow cards: Walsall – Mattis, foul, 52 min;