Graz earns point at Hereford

9:08pm Saturday 6th November 2004

Hereford United 1 Barnet 1 . . .

Giuliano Grazioli hit his 12th goal of the season to earn Barnet a point at Edgar Street this afternoon.

And the ace marksman was denied another in the second half when the referee judged a header just after the break was not over the line when Graham Hyde hooked it away.

But Bees manager Paul Fairclough said afterwards: "It was a goal. Even some of their (Hereford) players said it was in."

The Bees are now only four points clear at the top after Carlisle won at Gravesend to close the gap.

Fairclough was far from despondent, however, and well pleased with this hard-earned point.

"At the end of the season this could be a fantastic point for us. We still haven't lost on our travels. I'm very proud of the players."

Barnet started superbly and Nicky Bailey might have scored within three minutes, but failed to keep a header down from an inviting Ian Hendon cross.

The opener was not long in coming though. Two minutes later Grazioli latched on to a Bailey ball over the top and held off his marker before placing the ball into the corner past the advancing keeper.

But Hereford were level within three minutes. This time it was Hyde's ball over the top. David Brown latched on to it and lifted the ball over the onrushing Scott Tynan before slotting into an empty net.

The goal sparked the Bulls into life and they went on to create the better chances in the first half, Adam Stansfield and Brown behind most of their best efforts.

Dwane Lee did see a powerful drive pushed away by the keeper, but Hereford looked the more likely to score.

The Bees visibly raised their game after the break and created two excellent chances within the first seven minutes. Grazioli first saw his far-post header from a looping Dean Sinclair cross hacked away by Hyde, but, despite his appeals that the ball had crossed the line, the goal was not given.

Minutes later a deflected Richard Graham centre ran to Ben Strevens, who saw his shot on the turn parried by keeper Craig Mawson.

Grazioli was also on the end of a deep Hendon cross on the hour, but his hooked effort went back across goal and just wide.

Either side might have won it in the latter stages. Hereford's best chance came two minutes from time, Ismail Yakubu clearing sub Daniel Carey-Bertram's shot off the line.

But in the end a point apiece, in what was an entertaining clash, was just about the fairest result.

BARNET (4-4-2): Tynan; Hendon, Yakubu, King, Clist; Bailey, Lee, Sinclair, Graham; Grazioli (Hatch 88), Strevens. Subs not used: Millard, Maddix, Batt, Roache.

Attendance: 3,645.

Best Bee: Giuliano Grazioli.