THE late, great Brian Clough might have believed it only takes a second but York City fans have now waited EIGHT hours to see their side score a goal.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Hereford United means five shot-shy matches have passed since the Minstermen last found the target back in October when Andy Bishop netted a 61st-minute equaliser during the 2-1 defeat at Accrington Stanley.

It is a problem that requires a swift solution if Billy McEwan's men are to maintain their surprise early position among the early Conference play-off contenders because other aspects of City's game have remained consistent during a run of five Conference games without a win.

The back four have continued to defend with determination and Grays Athletic are still the only team to have comprehensively defeated the Minstermen this season with their 3-0 FA Cup triumph at KitKat Crescent.

David McGurk again ably marshalled the defence at Hereford with James Dudgeon enjoying a solid return alongside him at centre-back.

On-loan defender Lee Andrews also impressed at right-back, deputising for the half-fit Jamie Price, and the Minstermen would have claimed a gritty point but for a mistake by teenage left-back Evan Horwood that was punished clinically by Bulls substitute Adam Stansfield.

Horwood attempted to run the ball out of defence rather than clear the danger but, prior to that error, City had looked unlikely to concede against a Hereford team who have also struggled to find the net with any regularity this season.

There was little wrong once again with City's attitude and work-rate at Edgar Street. But industry is not currently being matched by quality in McEwan's team.

From Saturday's starting line up, Clayton Donaldson, Lev Yalcin and Leo Bertos would have been assigned with the responsibility of restoring the attacking zest lost during the side's barren run in front of goal.

But, aside from brief reminders that Donaldson provided of his exciting early-season form, the Minstermen failed to frighten their hosts, who had made five changes to their starting line up.

McEwan made four and included four on-loan players in his team for the second successive match.

Guy Ipoua looked an early threat for Hereford and went closest to opening the scoring in the early stages, tricking his way into the visitors penalty box before lifting his eventual shot over the bar.

But the lethargic former Gillingham striker then seemed to lose interest in the game and his team's only likely source of a goal for the remainder of the first half came from seven corners that recalled goalkeeper David Stockdale did not always cope with convincingly.

At the other end, Dudgeon headed over from a Horwood free kick on 12 minutes and Donaldson saw a 25-yard piledriver tipped over by home keeper Wayne Brown.

Yalcin also drove over from the edge of the box on the stroke of half-time before Andy Ferrell (twice) and Rob Purdie missed the target for the home team early in the second period.

Joe O'Neill's intuitive chip sailed narrowly over after a mistake by home captain Tamika Mkandawire on the hour mark but, nine minutes later, Hereford broke the deadlock when Horwood lost the ball just outside the penalty box and Stansfield, with his first touch, collected Craig Stanley's low cross before swivelling to send a powerful strike beyond the despairing dive of Stockdale.

It was a mistake and moment of quality that decided the game's outcome although Stockdale prevented a second goal when he saved with his legs from Ipoua, who had momentarily been roused back into action.

Substitute Mark Convery, dropped from the starting line up for the first time this season, should have also clinched a point in injury-time but his scuffed left-footed shot from eight yards clipped the outside of a post.

Hereford 1 (Stansfield 69), York City 0

Stockdale 6, Andrews 7, McGurk 8, Dudgeon 7, Horwood 6, Bertos 6, Yalcin 6 Convery 73), Barwick 6 (Stewart 86), Dunning 6, Donaldson 6, O'Neill 6

Subs (not used): Porter, Hotte, Price

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

Star man: McGurk - gave a dependable performance that deserved a clean sheet

Hereford United: Brown, Green, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Brady, Ferrell, Stanley, Purdie, Ipoua (Andy Williams, 79), Evans (Stansfield, 69). Subs not used: Mawson, James, Pitman.

Yellow cards: Jeannin 30, Brady 35, Ipoua 38, Donaldson 40.

Referee: Andy Hendley (West Midlands). Rating: Overly fussy with yellow cards in the first half but more sensible after the break.

Attendance: 1,950.

Weather watch: Mild for December.

Game breaker: The error by City loanee Evan Horwood that led to Hereford's goal.

Match rating: An even struggle between two teams currently lacking a goal threat that was decided by one mistake and a moment of quality.

McEwan's verdict: "I thought we should have got something from the game and were unlucky but we gave a goal away with a mistake through inexperience. They brought their substitute on who was a good player and he produced a quality finish.

Player watch: David Stockdale

Shots faced: 3

Shots saved: 2

Shots saved/shots faced ratio: 66.7 per cent

Kicks to own player: 3

Kicks to opposition: 23

Kick success rate: 11.6 per cent

Throws to own player: 2

Throws to opposition: 1

Throw success rate: 66.7 per cent

Crosses caught: 1

Crosses dropped: 1

Crossed punched: 2

Free-kicks won: 1

Free-kicks conceded: 0

Bookings: 0

Final summary: David Stockdale made a nervous return to action in goal for City but became more assured after the interval and made a good save from Guy Ipoua with his legs. He could do little about the goal. His kicking was normally reliable and he would have probably found a team-mate on more occasions if Andy Bishop had been in the side.

Updated: 10:45 Monday, December 12, 2005