Match Report: South Shields 0-0 Hereford

South Shields' 100% home record came to an end as Hereford held the Mariners to a 0-0 draw in a tight encounter at 1st Cloud Arena.

In a game of relatively few chances, Shields pushed for a winner and hit the woodwork in the first half, but were unable to find their way past a resolute Hereford side.

Shields goalkeeper Myles Boney was called into action twice early on, pushing a header from Yusifu Cessay wide before also saving from Lassana Mendes.

The Mariners grew into proceedings and went close to breaking the deadlock on 15 minutes when Aaron Martin rattled the crossbar with a bullet header from a Lirak Hasani free-kick.

That led to further opportunities for the home side.

Luke James turned and fired wide from 20 yards and John Lufudu also went close when he got on the end of a passing move before having a shot blocked.

There were relatively few openings in the remainder of the first half, although Hereford goalkeeper Curtis Pond spilled a sweet strike from James before Martin turned the rebound over from an offside position.

Paul Blackett was almost played in on goal six minutes into the second half, but a terrific sliding tackle by Jordan Lyden denied the Shields frontman.

Hereford goalkeeper Curtis Pond also made an impressive fingertip stop from James as Shields continued to push for an opener.

They were almost caught out at the other end, though, when Hereford broke from a Shields corner and Ceesay's strike from the edge of the area took a deflection on its way narrowly past the post.

The game then entered a lull and appeared destined for a draw, with few chances for either side.

Shields made three substitutions as the second half progressed and two of them almost combined to break the deadlock, with Joao Gomes winning the ball high up the pitch before laying it off to Michael Woods, whose curler was pushed over by Pond.

Gomes then went close himself with a strike which took two deflections before bouncing inches over the bar, and a final effort came from Clarke in stoppage time as his strike from distance was spilled by Pond, who clung onto it at the second attempt.

Hereford ultimately proved too difficult to decisively break down as the Mariners failed to win at home for the first time in seven games.

They return to action next Saturday with a league trip to Warrington Town.

South Shields: Boney, Lufudu, Adams (c), Liddle, Broadbent, Briggs, Hasani (Clarke 70), Abbey (Woods 74), Blackett (Gomes 74), James, Martin. Subs not used: Morse, Heaney.

Attendance: 2,351.

Image: Kev Wilson.