HEREFORD looked set for a serious case of the Blues when they found themselves two goals adrift after just 25 minutes of their first Edgar Street pre-season friendly against Birmingham City.

But, on a hot and sunny afternoon, the Bulls pulled back against the young visiting side and earned a draw with goals from trialist Sam Alsop and Andy Williams.

United featured a number of trialists and it remains to be seen whether Alsop, 21, believed to be released by Birmingham, is to feature again.

Graham Turner declined to be drawn on the identities and provenance of the newcomers, whom he referred to as 'Alias Smith and Jones'.

Hereford got off to a dreadful start when they fell behind inside the first 60 seconds.

Alsop gave the ball away in midfield and the ball was crossed in from the left for Oliver Allen, who looked a long way offside, to head past Wayne Brown.

Tim Sills, who linked well with Stuart Fleetwood in the first-half, was unlucky not to level when he worked his way through and clipped a shot against an upright on four minutes.

And Hereford went on to have the better of the next phase with Richard Rose seeing a header blocked on the line from Rob Purdie's corner.

But, against the run of play, Ryan Burge extended Blues' lead on 25 minutes when his deflected shot from just inside the penalty area looped over Brown.

Fleetwood sparked the start of the revival with a good run and pass which allowed Alsop to turn smartly to shoot past Adam Legzdins seven minutes before the break.

The comeback was completed three minutes into the second period when Tamika Mkandawire and Alan Jones combined to play in Williams.

He quickly displayed the talent which made him last season's Bulls top scorer by sliding in the equaliser.

Hereford: Brown (Lewis 82), Travis (Jeannin 46), Rose (Mkandawire 46), Alsop (Ferrell 70), May, Beckwith (Gwynne 70), Wallis (Hamilton 60), Purdie (Smith 46), Sills (Jones 46), Fleetwood (Williams 46), Sheldon (Stibble 60).

Attendance: 856.