The Bucks are certainly putting their fans through all kinds of emotions this term – seemingly out of the play off picture at the turn of the year, a five game unbeaten run pulled them to within striking distance of the top five - only for Northwich to spoil the
party on Tuesday night.
First half goals from ex Telford man Mark Danks and Wanye Riley were enough to earn
the home side three points.
Telford had their chances in a second half they dominated and it could have been a very
different result had Carl Rodgers’ ‘goal’ shortly before the hour been allowed to stand instead of being controversially chalked off.
“It would have been a nice time to get a goal and I’m still baffled as to why he didn’t give
it,” said Telford boss Rob Smith. “Obviously he’s seen something, but I couldn’t see a lot
wrong at all. The lads were gutted about it.”
But Smith is keen to ensure that setback does not prove terminal to Telford’s season.
“We’ve got ourselves in a position where we are up there again, and all is not lost because of one defeat.
We’ve got to go on another run now, that’s the most important thing.
“We’ve got Blyth away then Farsley and Solihull at home and we’ll be looking for nine points from those.
“If we do that then we’re right back in it.”
Telford’s Tuesday night trip to Cheshire was made worse by the news that Steve Thompson - perhaps the Bucks’ best player in recent games - will be out for three weeks with a pulled hamstring.
He limped off just seven minutes after the re-start, but his replacement, former Wolves man Kevin O’Connor, staked his case for a starting spot, and Smith saw plenty of positives.
“I thought for the last 35 minutes we completely bossed the game,” he said. “If you were going to be critical, I’d say we didn’t work the keeper enough apart from the ‘goal’ – and I don’t think anyone in the ground could tell you why that was disallowed.
“I thought we gave it a right go in the second half.”
The defeat was stark contrast to last Saturday’s trip to Harrogate Town - where a dominant Telford side eased to a 3-0 victory.
Goals from Sean Newton, Damian Reeves and Andy Brown gave the Bucks all three points.
And Brown’s second half penalty saw him overhaul Lee Moore as AFC Telford United’s record goalscorer.
Telford assistant manager Larry Chambers, deputising for boss Smith who missed the game due to work commitments, said it was a satisfying result.
He said: “Harrogate’s always a difficult place to go, irrespective of their league position. “We arrived on the back of them winning their last two games and it was a very satisfying performance.”