Hereford United 0-0 Kingstonian
BULLS EYE NEXT SEASON

Exactly a year to the day since Kingstonian demolished Sutton United six-nil in the FA Trophy semi-final, a team containing just four of those who played that night fought out a nil-nil draw at Edgar Street. In other circumstances such a result would have been seen as sound - but in this time of need it was far less than was needed. It wasn't through a lack of effort - at least that has been evident in the past few games - it was pure and simple a lack of skill, or ability, proficiency. Call it what you will, Kingstonian FC are just not good enough at the moment.

The game was slow to enliven the 867 present - a crowd which suggests that the folk of Hereford have had enough of season 2000/1. Quiggin had an early shot for the home side which tested Jimmy Glass, and Mark Beard - playing in a midfield role - shot straight at Scott Cooksey.

Glass - who is earning a bad reputation when it comes to departing from his line - did little to prevent this reputation from growing when a ball was played in from Snape on the right towards Williams. The ball was in between striker and goalkeeper, and Glass correctly left his line to gather the ball. Except, after running all of two yards, he seemed to be scared to go too far out (maybe mummy had told him not to stray too far), turned around and stood awaiting the shot on his goal-line. Thankfully a defender had got back and by the time Williams shot, Mark Boyce was able to block.

Glass did help to restore some faith in himself a few moments later when Williams forced him into a very good save after more good work from Elmes. Mark Harris hooked the rebound away for a corner when it could easily have fallen for the striker to tap home. However, Harris almost undid his good work just after by heading against his own bar. Quiggin crossed from the right, Simon Stewart deflected the ball up and Harris got his head to the ball just before Williams. His direction wasn't quite right though as the ball looped over Glass, bounced on the top of the bar and dropped off for another corner.

Hereford certainly had the better of the opening half and may have felt unlucky to go in still level. The closest they came to a goal was just before the break when a Williams corner was met by the head of Wright, but once again Glass showed that he really is a very good shot stopper with a save high to his left.

Geoff Pitcher hobbled off to be replaced by David Bass just before the break, and not long after Gary Patterson departed for Eddie Akuamoah. Claims that K's are getting ready for next season without Pitcher and Patto are, we are told, completely unfounded.

K's certainly started the second half in a brighter mood than they finished the first. Gavin Holligan went close early on after a good right sided run from Mark Boyce. The attacker had to beat James to get his shot in, and he did this in some style, although Cooksey produced a good save low to his left. Winston also saw a good shot saved after a lucky one-two with Holligan.

Glass showed his frailties once more when he finally left his line to claim a right wing cross. He got there first, yet under almost no pressure dropped the ball. Elmes headed at the open goal but thankfully for K's (and Glass) the ball struck Williams before it could enter the empty goal.

The last ten minutes saw both sides doing (almost) all that they could to get the win, but the game seemed destined to end all square. Even the introduction of a young student, coming on for his Hereford debut, did nothing to trouble the scoresheet. K's went close a couple of times, with Cooksey again denying Winston - who was then substituted after wearing himself out with a twenty yard run (seriously). There were also claims for a penalty when Holligan was sent through to run at Snape. The striker tumbled, the referee said no penalty, Mark Beard saw his follow-up saved by Cooksey only for the referee to blow up for a foul by Beard. All quite strange. Still, at least it didn't end in a 22-man brawl this time.

The last action of the game saw Simon Stewart head a Colin Luckett free-kick at goal only for Cooksey to turn the ball over. The referee had decided that full-time had come in between the header and the save, so quite what the reaction would have been had the ball gone in one can only guess. But it didn't, and so the points were shared.

At other times this would have gone down as a good performance. The defence looked to have much more composure about it, and going forward things looked good - especially when you consider that the midfield consisted of Beard, Bass and Patterson for a large time. But at the end of the day good wasn't good enough. K's need wins, not draws, and they didn't get one. Must try harder. Should have tried harder.