HEREFORD United take to the field in the FA Trophy today looking to avoid an unwanted hat-trick.

Graham Turner's Bulls travel to the Interlink Express Stadium to face fellow Nationwide Conference promotion chasers Accrington Stanley in a third round clash.

Turner knows the draw's tough nature, given that Accrington sit just one place above Hereford in the league table.

But he is also fully aware that recent memories of Hereford's FA Trophy escapades are probably best forgotten. Defeat today would be Hereford's third successive exit at this stage of the competition.

Not since a fifth round loss against Chester City in 2002 have the Edgar Street team negotiated safe passage beyond the third round, the stage Conference sides enter the event.

Yeovil won 2-1 at Edgar Street in 2003, while last year's trip to Exeter, a bogey team for Hereford recently, resulted in a 3-2 defeat.

Turner wants a run in the trophy, although he admits the league and promotion, or at the

very least a play-off place, is top priority.

"We have not had the kindest of draws but we would like to make progress," United's director of football said. "The league is the priority, there's no doubt about that. We have got to finish in the top five."

Turner can take some comfort in the fact Accrington have also had little success in the FA Trophy of late. Tamworth ditched them in 2003 and they came a cropper to none other than Burton Albion last season.

Meanwhile, Turner believes a first-team goal is all Danny Carey-Bertram needs to become a regular fixture at Edgar Street.

Carey-Bertram bagged a brace and missed a penalty for his hat-trick in the 4-2 GLS Cup third round victory at Burton on Tuesday.

The young striker has been a regular bench warmer for the Bulls of late but is not a total stranger to pulling on a starting shirt. Turner added: "He's gone on in most games recently and started against Exeter. He desperately needs a goal in the first team. I watch him closely in training and he's got the ability."