HEREFORD United conceded their first goal in 448 minutes as Bobby Bowry grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser for Gravesend in a scrappy 1-1 draw at Edgar Street.

The Bulls could hardly complain about letting two points slip last night as the visitors had twice before gone close to equalising Craig Stanley's 53rd-minute opener.

The first-half started promisingly but quickly deteriorated into a succession of free-kicks and mis-placed passes.

Gravesend made the early running and forced a run of corners in the first few minutes.

Seven flag-kicks in 25 minutes, however, came to nothing with Wayne Brown in the Hereford goal not called upon to make a serious save.

His Gravesend counterpart, Craig Holloway, had not much more to do, though.

The visiting 'keeper watched as a shot from Danny Carey-Bertram flashed across the goal on 12 minutes and, seconds later, looked on again as an effort from Alex Jeannin followed the same path.

Long-range drives from Rob Purdie for Hereford on 35 minutes and Gravesend's Jay Saunders on the stroke of half-time were the only other moments of threat to either goal in a scrappy 45 minutes.

Memories of the poor quality of the first-half were momentarily erased on 53 minutes with a move and goal of the highest quality.

Purdie's excellent pass sent Carey-Bertram away on the right and he drilled in a low cross which Stanley hammered into the net from close range.

This seemed as if it might be the signal for Hereford to find their form as Jeannin went agonisingly close to extending the lead with a blockbuster from 25 yards just four minutes later.

But it was Gravesend who gathered strength as the game went on and Brown did well to tip a Lee Protheroe effort on to the bar.

Saunders somehow contrived to lift the ball over from two yards and the danger signals were clear.

Then two minutes from the end, Hereford failed to clear another Gravesend corner and Bowry was able to drive the ball through a crowd of players and into the net to save a point.

HEREFORD: Brown, Green (Brady 90), Beckwith, James, Blewitt, Jeannin, Pitman, Ferrell, Stanley, Purdie, Carey-Bertram (Mkandawire 88). Subs not used: Mawson, Williams, Evans.

ATTENDANCE: 2,396.