MISSED chances at both ends left Hereford and Rochdale with a share of the spoils from Saturday's League Two clash at Edgar Street.

The Bulls had the better of a scrappy first period but, after the interval, play transferred rapidly from end to end with both sides wasting the opportunity to extend their respective winning runs to three matches.

There were relatively few openings before the break but Hereford had the better of what there were.

The Bulls had a penalty appeal waved away when Steve Jennings' shot appeared to hit Rory McArdle's arm on 16 minutes and then Steve Guinan drove a cross through the Dale six-yard box without anyone able to get a touch.

In between these chances, Dale's Adam Le Fondre raced away after a slip by Dean Beckwith but the intervention of Rob Purdie drove the visiting forward wide and his shot was easily saved by Wayne Brown.

Back at the other end, Guinan sent Trent McClenahan away to deliver a cross but Alan Connell was unable to rise quite high enough to meet the ball and his header went wide.

Connell then set up an even better chance when he picked out Guinan with a cross but the previous match's hat-trick hero was not able to get any touch to the ball as it flashed past.

Just before the interval, Guinan, whose day it most definitely was not, headed weakly at goalkeeper Matthew Gilks when Andy Williams' cross picked him out.

Hereford made a lively start to the second period but Jennings and Connell both shot wide from promising positions.

Connell should have done better when he headed a fine Danny Thomas cross straight at Gilks and then allowed the goalkeeper to save when Jennings' quickly-taken free-kick sent him clear.

But Dale roared back and Brown saved well twice from Adam Rundle before Beckwith came to Hereford's rescue on 66 minutes.

Glen Murray's cross picked out Le Fondre but the striker lost his footing and Beckwith was able to boot his shot off the line.

Purdie fired narrowly over from 25 yards before Guinan again failed to get sufficient power behind his header to trouble Gilks when Williams, Connell, and Ben Smith carved out the opening.

Dale, who forced 17 corners in the game, retained an attacking threat throughout the afternoon and Murray came more into the game as time ran down.

The former Carlisle man was foiled by Brown after eluding the challenge of Beckwith and the 'keeper pulled off another excellent save to prevent him from opening the scoring with two minutes remaining.

But Hereford wasted probably the best chance to clinch the points in the closing stages when Jennings raced clear into the area but failed to get in a shot before he was dispossessed by the Dale defence.

Hereford: Brown; McClenahan, Beckwith, Rose, Purdie; Williams, Smith, Jennings, Thomas; Guinan, Connell (Sills, 78 min). Subs not used: Thompson, Ferrell, Mkandawire, Travis.

Attendance: 3,090.