Hereford 2 (King 52, Valentine 61) Rochdale 1 (Jones 62)

Rochdale lost for a fourth time in five games as Dale's season effectively came to an end at Hereford. Two goals in nine minutes won it for the home side as Craig King pounced on Craig Dawson's clearance and the ball bounced over the line and then Ryan Valentine converted the rebound after his penalty was saved by Frank Fielding. Gary Jones pulled a goal back almost instantly for the visitors but they never looked like finding an equaliser.

The sides went into the half time break goaless after an opening period in which the visitors dominated the goalscoring chances but did not do enough to break the deadlock. Chris Dagnall brought a save from Adam Bartlett with a volley from the edge of the box and Tom Kennedy's free kick whistled just past the post; the closest either side came to an opening goal.

A quiet opening in the Hereford sunshine gave the game a distinct end of season feel. Still the visitors started brightly enough and some tidy passing on the edge of the Hereford box gave them the first chances of the game, Andy Haworth firing well over the top and then Jason Kennedy sliding a shot narrowly across goal.

The game was 20 minutes old before either keeper was tested, Adam Bartlett doing well to scramble across goal as Chris Dagnall tried to catch the Hereford stopper out with a well struck half volley from the edge of the box.

Dale were not really on top in terms of possession but all of the chances were coming their way. On half an hour Chris O'Grady and Dagnall linked well, and Dagnall fired the ball low across the six yard box for Haworth to nudge towards goal. Again Bartlett made the save.

Still the visitors pushed and came within a whisker of the opener when Tom Kennedy's free kick from just outside the box flew an inch past the top corner with Bartlett this time well beaten.

It was more of the same in the second half as Dagnall and Haworth stung the hands of Bartlett. The game was almost an hour old before Hereford produced something meaningful but it was the most meaningful passage of the fixture as the home side took the lead against the run of play. Mathieu Manset fed the ball through for Gavin McCallum, who looked to finish through the legs of Frank Fielding. Craig Dawson tracked the ball towards goal and looked well placed to clear but smashed his clearance straight at Craig King and the ball found the net.

Buoyed by the goal Hereford finally began to show signs that they were actually capable of a prolonged attacked and their new found confidence brought them a second. They came close when Marc Pugh found James McQuilkin but Fielding advanced quickly to save at the midfielder's feet. Minutes later Hereford had their second. Again it came via some disappointing defending. Dale looked to have cleared a Hereford corner but substitute Kallum Higginbotham needlessly tripped McCullum and the referee pointed to the spot. Fielding saved Ryan Valentine's penalty but the rebound fell kindly for Valentine to finish at the second attempt.

Dale needed an instant reply and they got it when Joe Thompson produced the perfect cross for an advancing Gary Jones to nod the visitors back into the game.

In the space of ten minutes the game had sprung to life and it did not look as though that would be the end of the scoring. Dale pushed for a leveller, leaving them open to the counter attack and twice the home side flashed balls across the six yard box without a striker able to turn in what would have been a match clenching third.

Attendance: 1,975.

Hereford: Bartlett, Green, Valentine, Rose, Lunt, Pugh, McQuilkin, Jones, Manset (Constantine 81), King (Done 81), McCallum.
Subs (not used): Lowe, Gwynne, Edwards, Jones, Weir.

Booked: Green.

Rochdale: Fielding, Wiseman, T. Kennedy, McArdle, Dawson, J. Kennedy (Toner 63), Jones, Obadeyi (Thompson 56), Howarth (Higginbotham 57), O'Grady, Dagnall.
Subs (not used): Arthur, Stanton, Taylor, Holness.

Booked: Jones, McArdle.

Attempts (on target): Hereford 12 (5) Rochdale 10 (6)
Free kicks: Hereford 15 Rochdale 18
Offside: Hereford 2 Rochdale 2
Corners: Hereford 5 Rochdale 3

Referee: D. Webb.