Gary Hooper's strike kept Hereford's hopes of automatic promotion alive as they beat fellow hopefuls Darlington in a game bereft of quality.

Darlington had two penalty appeals turned down in the first half.

Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu went down under Karl Broadhurst's challenge and Clint Easton appeared to foul Rob Purdie.

But the breakthrough came when Hooper's initial shot was palmed away by David Stockdale, leaving the forward to fire the rebound into the roof of the net.

Darlington: Stockdale, Austin (Wiseman 79), Foster, White, Valentine, Purdie, Cummins, Kennedy, Parker (Nelthorpe 82), Wright, Ndumbu-Nsungu (Ravenhill 79).
Subs Not Used: Kazimierczak, Miller.

Booked: Foster, Valentine.

Hereford: Brown, McClenahan, Beckwith, Broadhurst, Rose, Johnson, Diagouraga, Smith, Easton, Hooper (Robinson 77), Guinan.
Subs Not Used: Esson, Taylor, Gwynne, Collins.

Goals: Hooper 69.

Att: 4,331

Ref: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).