HEREFORD United wound up their pre-season programme with an entertaining 3-3 draw with their near neighbours Cheltenham at Edgar Street.

But the Bulls will be disappointed that they did not seize the opportunity of concluding the build-up to their return to league football with a morale-boosting win after racing into a three-goal lead with only 20 minutes played. As it is their pre-season record is two wins, two draws and two defeats from six matches.

With only two minutes played, the Bulls got off to a flying start when a long throw by Gareth Sheldon, who was involved in all three Hereford goals, was smashed into the net by Stuart Fleetwood.

The former Cardiff striker found the net again just five minutes later when neat build-up play involving Shel-don and Tim Sills, allowed him a clear run into the area before slipping the ball past goalkeeper Shane Higgs.

On 20 minutes, Sheldon was brought down near the touch-line and took the free-kick himself with Andy Williams heading the ball back across goal for Sills to head the third.

With Hereford still in control, Williams might have added a fourth when a Sills shot deflected into his path, but the young striker, for once, lost his composure and blazed wide.

After being under the cosh for most of the first period, Cheltenham pulled a goal back in first-half injury-time, but even then it was hardly of their making.

Sheldon and Martyn Giles got in each other's way as a Grant McCann corner came swinging in and the ball deflected off Giles' head for the sort of debut goal he is hardly likely to want to remember.

Giles, who otherwise had a competent debut, found his day going further downhill after 65 minutes when he was judged to have pulled down former Bull Steve Guinan in the penalty area and McCann scored from the penalty spot.

With substitutes, including new Bulls signing Trent McClenahan and triallists Luke Webb -- who had previously appeared under the name Paul Jones and is the son of former England star Neil Webb -- and Portugese forward Neil Marcello, appearing at regular intervals, Here-ford's play unsurprisingly began to lose its rhythm.

And a minute from time, Cheltenham were back on terms with another spot-kick.

Goalkeeper Wayne Brown was judged to have fouled Kayode Odejayi and McCann stepped up to again send the keeper the wrong way.

Hereford: Brown, Travis (Wallis, 74 min), Giles, Ferrell (Gwynne, 84 min), Mkanda-wire, Rose, Williams, Purdie (Webb, 60 min), Sills (Connell, 59 min), Fleetwood (Marcello, 46 min), Sheldon (McClen-ahan, 46 min). Subs not used: Lewis, Jeannin.

Attendance: 989.