For Barrow in 2008, read Alfreton in 2009.

The Derbyshire side’s victory over AFC Telford United on a sunny Bank Holiday afternoon was their seventh in a row and their 10th unbeaten.

Their remarkable form has brought back memories of Barrow’s pulsating charge to promotion last season, and the men from The Impact Arena must surely be favourites for the play-offs right now.

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And, with the top three tripping over each other to haemorrhage points right now, they could yet even sneak in through the back door and win the whole thing.

Telford have long since looked out of the running for the top prize, and their place in the play-offs no longer looks so secure either, especially with Droylsden now breathing down their necks.

Any stinging criticism of this performance would be harsh, though.

Playing their fourth game in just seven days, the Bucks actually bossed the first half and had their chances in the second as well.

Telford set the tone for the first period when Indy Khela’s free-kick was glanced over the bar by Carl Rodgers.

The impressive Stephen Dickinson in Alfreton’s goal was called into action for the first time soon after, saving well from Danny Carey-Bertram.

Dickinson also tipped a Jon Adams strike from 25 yards over the bar, then turned a poked shot from the impressive Lee Vaughan around the post.

Left-back James Meredith also blasted over as the visitors had much the better of the first half.

Alfreton came into the game on the back of a run of six consecutive victories without conceding.

They had also scored in both halves of all those victories, but only once looked like extending that particular sequence in the opening 45 against the Bucks.

Their only chance came off an Ian Ross corner from Telford’s right, Paul Clayton connecting with a powerful header that the in-form Ryan Young did well to push away.

The half ended on a sour point for the Shropshire side though, with influential midfielder Adams limping off with a hamstring injury – Steve Jagielka coming on to replace him.

And that signalled the start of more bad news for the Bucks as they also went a goal down just nine minutes into the second half.

The defence was caught flat-footed and Anthony Howell capitalised by running onto Anton Brown’s slide-rule pass and finishing sweetly.

Brown might have added a second just moments later, but found Young on his game once more to deny him with a smart save.

Telford looked to be fading as an attacking force but were back in it with a sensational equaliser from Lee Vaughan.

There were 71 minutes on the clock when he ran onto a half-cleared corner and smashed an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net from around 30 yards out.

It was the first goal Alfreton had conceded in 679 minutes of football, since Vauxhall Motors breached their defence last month.

The joy was short-lived for Telford though, and their hopes of taking anything out of the game were ended by two goals in the space of two minutes soon after.

First Howell lashed in his second of the game with an exquisite finish from the left-hand side of the penalty area.

Then Clayton converted with a header off Ross’ corner that went in off the post.

Rodgers went close with a late header off substitute Danny Edwards’ free-kick, though a goal would have been no more than scant consolation.

Eight points are what the Bucks now need to mathematically guarantee the Bloods of Droylsden cannot overhaul them.

They will doubtless be down after this defeat, and probably a little weary, too.

Yet they can take heart from the manner of their performance. The same work-rate and commitment would surely see them rewarded in tomorrow’s home game with Farsley Celtic.

By Chris Hudson