Deja-vu was in the air at Edgar Street as Accrington Stanley played out a goalless draw with Hereford United to go unbeaten in their last five away games.

The last time the Reds finished with a 0-0 scoreline in a league game was back in April 2005 at the same ground against the same opposition.

And the latest meeting between the old Conference rivals followed a familiar pattern, with both goalkeepers virtual spectators for long periods.

Manager John Coleman kept faith with a 3-5-2 formation, but made three changes from the team that lost to Rotherham: Leam Richardson replacing injured Captain Peter Cavanagh, Sean Webb returning at the expense of Phil Edwards and Graham Branch given the nod ahead of Rommy Boco.

In the early stages it was the home side that threatened, with journeyman Trevor Benjamin poking debutant Sam Gwynne's right wing cross into the side netting after just four minutes and defender Richard Rose ghosting into the area before poking the ball tamely at Ian Dunbavin moments later.

Youngster Gwynne gave Branch a torrid time down the near touchline in the first few minutes, but the momentum created by the Bulls soon began to run out.

Stanley's first chance came courtesy of a home defender as Dean Beckwith headed Richardson's cross narrowly over his own crossbar on the quarter of an hour mark.

Both sides were passing the ball well but lacking the killer touch in the final third, as demonstrated moments later at the other end when the lively Theo Robinson raced onto Ben Smith's pinpoint through ball down the left channel only to place his side foot shot wide of the right hand post.

Hereford had some pressure on the Stanley goal, but failed to capitalise, and Dunbavin was only forced into action to routinely collect a long-range Benjamin strike.

As the first half wore on the visitors grew as an attacking force with the swashbuckling Jay Harris driving them forward.

And had the former Everton youngster been more composed after 21 minutes he could have broken the deadlock.

The number eight burst into the box on the right hand side and tricked his way past a defender before electing not to shoot and cut the ball across the face of goal instead.

But his team mates weren't on the same wavelength, and the ball was swiftly cleared.

Other than collecting a few crosses and corners, home keeper Wayne Brown was untroubled, although he had to scamper across his goal to cover a Roscoe Dsane shot which was deflected behind.

And Richardson might have tested the former Chester man had he not mis-kicked at the crucial moment after a one-two with Dsane.

After the break the game continued in a similar vein with both time making half chances but not making to best of them. At one end Ian Craney fired wide, and soon after Robinson did the same at the other end with both in positions to do better.

Both managers changed their attacking options midway through the second period, with Stanley introducing Leighton McGivern for Dsane and Boco for Branch and Hereford bringing on Steve Guinan for Benjamin.

Both defences now had new threats to contend with, and it resulted in opportunities at both ends of the pitch.

But the ceaseless drizzle that was falling in Herefordshire seemed to make reactions rusty as they were again wayward.

Quarter of an hour from the end, Harris ended a meandering dribble with a powerful shot, but looked up to see it rise over the bar.

He then created Stanley's best chance as he instigated a counter attack with a lung bursting run down the left and left full back Lee Collins in his wake. His cross field pass found McGivern on the edge of the box, who took a touch to step inside a defender and strike the ball with is left foot.

But the striker failed to net his second goal of the season, firing into the Hereford fans behind Brown's goal.

Danger man Robinson threatened to take all three points for the high flying Bulls late on, but again squandered his opportunities having evaded the attentions of a vigilant Stanley defence.

It had been 104 league games since that 0-0 draw in 2005, and now as then the away fans travelled home celebrating a clean sheet, a good point and a solid performance.