Saturday, March 17, 2001

HEREFORD United succumbed to their second Nationwide Conference defeat inside a week and slipped to eighth in the table with a feeble performance in a 1-0 defeat against Dagenham and Redbridge.

The Daggers became only the second team to inflict a home league defeat on United this season in their first-ever league trip to Edgar Street.

It was the sixth consecutive win for the in-form visitors, who also ensured that they were the second side of the season to complete a Conference double over Hereford.

Not for the first time this term, the Bulls turned in a shockingly uninspired showing in front of their home crowd, their 'poorest performance' of the season according to boss Graham Turner.

But it took a moment of brilliance from the East Londoners to break the deadlock, which arrived 11 minutes into the second-half.

Shaven-headed midfielder Paul Terry made a fine run into the Bulls' box and was found at the near post by defender Lee Goodwin's accurate low cross from the right.

Terry, brother of Chelsea player John, managed to get his foot to the ball to beat goalkeeper Scott Cooksey from 10 yards.

United were without left-back Paul Sturgess through illness, midfielder Ian Rodgerson with a thigh problem and star front man Gavin Williams with a calf injury.

But this was no excuse for such a lack-lustre effort, as the Bulls struggled to make any impact on a muscular Dagenham defence.

Paul Parry made his first start since October on his return from a long-term ankle injury, which provided possibly the only bright spot of the match for Hereford, with a solid match wide on the left.

Cooksey produced the save of the game after 33 minutes when he tipped over a header from Jason Broom, but it was a rare moment of excitement.

Even the introduction of Steve Bull with 26 minutes remaining failed to rally the Bulls, who completed a miserable afternoon with late bookings for James Wall and Phil Robinson.

The result maintained Hereford's record of not having lost by more than one goal in any competition this season, but left Turner contemplating the need for new blood before the transfer deadline.