HEREFORD United hero Craig Mawson spent last summer vying with Paul Crichton for the York City goalkeeper jersey.

Both shot-stoppers were taken on as pre-season trialists before the then manager Chris Brass plumped for his former Burnley team-mate Crichton, only to be sorely let down by his old friend.

Crichton, of course, lasted just four matches as City's first choice between the sticks before an altercation with Minstermen supporters at Gravesend and Northfleet terminated his short tenure.

Subsequently, both David Stockdale and Chris Porter have gone on to prove their first-team credentials, while Crichton, after leaving Bootham Crescent under a cloud, has embarked on a whistle-stop tour of Conference clubs.

He took his tally to four for the season this week, having joined relegation certainties Farnborough following stints with Leigh RMI and Accrington Stanley.

Mawson, in the meantime, has established himself in goal with play-off hopefuls Hereford and, at Edgar Street on Saturday, he was the main difference between two teams, who looked more closely matched that the 14 places that separate them in the Conference table.

The former England semi-professional international and Morecambe 'keeper produced three excellent saves to thwart Lev Yalcin, Ben Jackson and Paul D Robinson as Billy McEwan's men showed character after falling behind to a contentious penalty decision given in the second minute of the match.

Referee Phil Gibbs pointed to the spot when the dangerous Adam Stansfield capitalised on hesitancy from Kyle Armstrong to get goalside of the former Preston defender.

That was Armstrong's chief crime -- not the hand that he rested on Stansfield's back, which carried insufficient pressure to nudge Hereford's top scorer off balance in the slightest but was interpreted as a push by West Midlands official Gibbs.

Rob Purdie made no mistake from the spot, side-footing low to Porter's right as the City 'keeper dived in the opposite direction.

Any hopes of stifling their play-off chasing hosts with a 4-5-1 formation and forcing growing frustration by keeping Hereford off the scoresheet for as long as possible, as worked so successfully at Exeter in February, were dashed in that moment.

But the visitors responded with spirit and, on 11 minutes, Yalcin's firmly-struck low volley from 20 yards was tipped around a post by Mawson for his first impressive save of the afternoon.

Robinson then made the space for a 20-yard drive that flashed wide and Yalcin, who continues to show glimpses of his potential before returning to the periphery of proceedings, rode two strong challenges before driving wide from the edge of the box.

The Minstermen fell further behind, however, on 40 minutes, whenJamie Pitman's menacing cross with the outside of his right boot bounced in the six-yard box and was headed into his own net by Smith.

It was a strange intervention by the City left back, who might have been better advised to have made no contact at all.

Mawson then prevented the Minstermen from pulling a goal back in first-half stoppage time, thrusting out his left arm to stop Jackson's low shot finding the bottom corner after Robinson's pass.

Hereford were unworthy two-goal leaders at the break but Porter offered a 68th-minute example of his shot-stopping skills to deny Stansfield who, having relentlessly harassed Armstrong in the first half, raced past substitute Paul Groves.

The City 'keeper also made a fingertip stop at the death when substitute Leroy Williams' mazy run had Groves befuddled and his rising drive looked destined for the top corner.

In between, Mawson dived low to keep out Robinson's volley from eight yards to complete his hat-trick of breathtaking stops.

A goal would have been a fitting reward for Robinson, who worked hard, shielded the ball well and passed it sensibly in the absence of first-choice lone striker Andy Bishop.

Despite Robinson's record of one goal in 33 matches, both players still have the ability to form a strong, orthodox two-pronged strike force and deliver an answer to City's two-season long search for goals which has recently seen them fire blanks in four of their last five games.

The conviction of a direct, quick striker with a proven record in front of goal, however, could guarantee much better scoring fortunes next season.

Match facts

Nationwide Conference

Saturday, April 9, 2005

at Edgar Street

Hereford 2, (Purdie 2 pen, Smith og 40)

York City 0

City ratings

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Porter 7

Law 7

Davis 7

Armstrong 6

Smith 6 (Groves HT 6)

Jackson 7 (Stewart 75)

Yalcin 7

Donovan 6

Dunning 7

Merris 6

Paul D Robinson 8

Subs not used: Stockdale, Paul Robinson, Webster.

Star man: Paul D Robinson, worked hard as City's lone striker, shielding and passing well.

Hereford: Craig Mawson, Ryan Green, Andrew Tretton, Tamika Mkandawire, Mark Robinson, Daryl Taylor (Danny Williams, 65), Jamie Pitman (Graham Hyde, 82), Craig Stanley, Robert Purdie, Lee Mills (Leroy Williams, 61), Adam Stansfield. Subs: Simon Travis, Ben Scott.

Yellow cards: None.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Phil Gibbs (West Midlands). Rating: Improved after harsh penalty decision.

Attendance: 2,973.

Weather watch: Breezy and cool.

Game breaker: Early penalty decision was a big blow to City hopes and gave nervous Hereford an early advantage.

Match rating: .City battled gamely despite early setback and it would have been a closer contest had it not been for home keeper Mawson.

Player watch: Chris Porter

Shots saved: 3.

Shots parried: 2

Blocked shots: 0.

Kicks to own player: 5.

Kicks to opposition: 21.

Kick success rate: 23.8 per cent.

Throws to own player: 2.

Throws to opposition: 0.

Throw success rate: 100 per cent.

Crosses caught: 2. Crosses punched: 0. Crosses dropped: 0. Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 12.

Free kicks won: 0. Free-kicks conceded: 1. Bookings: 0.

Final summary: Made two fine saves and could do little with either of Hereford's goals. Caught the two crosses he came for and, although he failed to find team-mates consistently with his goal kicks that had more to do with City's lack of height than Porter's inaccuracy.

Updated: 09:26 Monday, April 11, 2005