12/11/2007 - Hereford United 2 Mansfield Town 1
AFTER watching such an accomplished and determined performance as this one, it is hard to fathom why Mansfield remain the only side in League Two still to win away from home.
Even Lincoln,Wrexham and Grimsby - the three sides below Stags in the table - have managed that feat.
Yet for Billy Dearden and his squad, the search for three points on the road goes on as a feeling of frustration and injustice once more resonated from the visitors' camp.
Both sides went into the clash on the back of thumping victories, Hereford against Darlington 5-1 while Mansfield trounced Macclesfield 5-0.
However, it was the Stags who seemed to carry their confidence and their form into the clash on a ground where they had won 3-1 last season.
Whether Hereford had one eye on their televised FA Cup first round clash with Leeds United on Friday night, only they will know.
But they rarely showed the kind of form that has made them serious promotion candidates.
The Stags, on the other hand, aside from a 15-minutes spell at the start of the second half, bossed possession and created the bulk of the chances.
As has been the case from Brentford to Peterborough to Hereford, though, their biggest problem has been their inability to capitalise on their dominance.
It appeared that might change when an edgy opening from both teams made way for some good football by Mansfield, who brought back Johnny Mullins after suspension for Gareth Jelleyman.
The livewire Michael Boulding was the focal point of the danger. He twice fired straight at Wayne Brown from distance, was twice more denied by last-ditch tackles, headed wide from a right-wing free-kick and teed up half chances for Simon Brown and Matt Hamshaw.
But none were converted and Hereford immediately went upfield to claim the opener. Mansfield were not helped by the assistant referee, who failed to flag when Theo Robinson raced away when seemingly in an offside position.
Even when play continued, the goal could have been prevented had Alex John-Baptiste not dived in and been sold a dummy by the Hereford forward, who then drilled under Carl Muggleton.
The Stags twice went close to an equaliser, on one occasion denied by the best save of the game from Brown, who tipped a Boulding curler around the post at full stretch. On the other a deflection took Lee Bell's shot inches wide.
Still trailing at the break, Mansfield had hoped to get an early equaliser, but it was United who grabbed an all-important second goal.
Dan Martin was caught out of position, leaving Lionel Ainsworth to sweep past him and put over an inviting cross which was headed home by Trevor Benjamin.
The Stags suffered another blow in the 56th minute when Saturday's hat-trick hero Brown limped off to be replaced by Ian Holmes.
But, still, Mansfield refused to buckle and a switch to a more attacking formation just after the hour mark reaped almost instant dividends.
The ball dropped for Stephen Dawson on the edge of the box who let fly with a left-foot drive which came back off the left-hand post and Boulding rolled home the rebound.
Within seconds, the Stags then won a free-kick 30 yards from goal and Bell's power-packed drive struck the outside of the right-hand post.
From then on, the visitors piled bodies forward and put Hereford under incessant pressure but Dawson and Bell were unable to hit the target from decent positions.
In the dying seconds, John-Baptiste had a golden chance for a leveller but blazed over from eight yards.
It was a disappointing end to yet another disappointing away game after Stags won more admirers but no points.
The team still received a hearty round of applause from travelling fans because they know more displays such as this cannot go unrewarded forever.