Hereford 0 Swansea 0

Hereford 0 Swansea 0

NEWS OF THE WORLD REPORT

SWANSEA maintained their unbeaten pre season form - but only after surviving a second half scare against the Conference men.

Striker David Brown wasted three great second half chances to seal victory for Graham Turner's troops.

Lethargic Swansea had the better of the first half but failed to threaten after the break.

Swans chief Kenny Jackett moaned: "We didn't create many chances.

"There was a point during the first half where we looked like we were going to do something. But in the end it just didn't happen.

"We created a little bit on the right flank but we didn't create much at all on the left and I need to find someone who can fill that role in the team.

"Neither side had many goal attempts. I thought we were better in the first half than we were in the second."

Swans striker twice went close. On 17 minutes he was set to head Adrian Forbes' cross past Hereford keeper Ben Scott but Tamika Mkandawire made a saving clearance.

Five minutes later Connor headed a Roberto Martinez free kick just wide.

Forbes then pounced on a Mkandwire error but Scott was quickly out to block the shot.

REPORT FROM BULLS NEWS

Hereford United drew 0-0 with Swansea City in an uneventful game this afternoon at Edgar Street. The Bulls had two new trialists in the team, Mark Robinson started at left wing back and Graham Hyde was on the bench.Robinson was playing at Hartlepool last season and Hyde wascontracted to Bristol Rovers.

Swanseaa chance early on to take the lead but Paul Conner only just failed to connect with a cross fromthe right.Unitedreplied to this when Adam Stansfield, in a similar fashion toConner, failed to connect with Craig Stanley's from close range. Stanley had the first effortfor Hereford but his twenty yard shot, after Stansfield's break from the half way line, was tame and wide.

Conner caused more problems in the air for the Hereford defence and almost gave Swansea a first half lead, but his header at the back post went across Ben Scott's goal and wide of the far post. Ryan Green linked up well with David Brown on the right, and Brown found Stanley with a neat flick, but the ex Telford man shot straight at Gueret in the Swansea goal. Tom Smith left the pitch a facial injury and was replaced by Tony James late on in the first half.

There were several changes for both sides at half time and throughout the second half. Simon Travis, Hyde, Nathan Talbot all came on at half time and Sean Doherty, Andy Williams, Sam Gwynne and one other(whose name we don't have) all made appearences in the second half. Tamikia Mkandawire, Robinson, Stanley, Danny Williams, Adam Stansfield, Green and Brown were replaced.

The second half started quietly with neither side creating many goal scoring opportunities until after the hour mark. Rob Purdie collected the ball on the right from Stansfield and delivered a cross on the ground slightly behind Brown who looped a shot over the bar. Rob Purdie volleyed over from the edge of the box from a Travis cross. Swansea came closest to scoring when Tony James took a cross away from Scott in the Hereford goal, but just as the ball was about to drop into the United net, the skipper had recovered and managed to head the ball around the post to safety.

Brown knocked on a cross from Hyde that caught Stansfield unaware, but luckily for Swansea the ball rebounded off the hard working Stansfield, who was two yards out, and into the keeper's arms. Brown then had three good chances to break the deadlock but failed to do so on each occasion. The first he managed to blast over the bar following good play between Purdie and Talbot on the left, then Brown forced Gueret into a smart save with a good effort from ten yards and finally, his best chance of the afternoon, he connected to a cross from the impressive Talbot but his outstreched foot could only direct the ball inches wide of the far post.

The Swans almost nicked a winner five minutes from the when Adrian Forbes hit a smart shot from six yards, but Scott was equal to it and reacted well to make a save low to his left.

The performance from either side was not the best and certainly didn't excite either sets of fans in a crowd of 1778, but the work out should prove handy for both sides who were good competition for each other. Hereford's next friendly is at Evesham this Tuesday evening and on the following Saturday United should have another more competitive match when they play hosts toLeague One side Wrexham.