Danny Carey-Bertram of AFC Telford Utd and Chris Lynch of Hyde United

AFC Telford United have climbed up into the play-off places on the back of this thrilling draw, but they might yet rue failing to go one better.

Ewen Fields was certainly not a place for the weak of heart on Saturday, with a second half that barely offered time to draw breath.

Chances at both ends, two goals in less than two minutes, a red card for Bucks skipper Lee Vaughan and a saved penalty – there was certainly no lack of talking points.

Yet Telford will still surely be asking how on earth they did not win it and, with a cluster of sides bunched behind them with games in hand, they can scarcely avoid to be dropping points right now.

That was certainly the over-riding feeling coming out of the visitors’ changing room, with defender Shane Killock offering a typical view.

“From where we’re sitting it’s two points dropped, even with 10 men,” said the mid-season signing from Oxford.

“I know it was quite kamikaze for the last 25 minutes, but we still believed we could win and we were disappointed not to go home with all three points.

“It was really open, neither side wanted to settle for a draw. It must have been a great game for the neutral.”

There was nothing great about the first half, which will certainly not live long in the memory.

The better chances fell to Hyde, with Nathan Arnold, Daniel Douglas-Pringle and Chris Lynch all getting sights of goal.

But there was precious little to warm the fans on a cold day until after the break, when the whole pace of the game changed almost immediately.

It was the Bucks who were quickest out of the blocks, Liam Blakeman setting up Kevin O’Connor for a shooting chance.

Andy Brown then had a diving header brilliantly kept out by goalkeeper Mark Halstead before the first big talking point – when the Hyde No 1 handled outside his box.

Halstead had raced out to beat Phil Trainer to the ball and seemed to lose his bearings, but the referee clearly felt it was accidental, only dishing out a yellow card.

It could so easily have been a red, though the Bucks did not protest too strongly, and Killock sportingly added: “If it had been at our end and Youngy had been sent off then we’d have been arguing the case. I don’t really think it was a red card.”

Nonetheless, it was a decision that would eventually prove telling as the custodian, making his Hyde debut after joining on loan from Blackpool, went on to make a series of eye-catching saves.

First though, there was the goal drama – both strikes coming in the blink of an eye.

Telford took a 68th minute lead when Trainer drilled in after Halstead had only managed to parry O’Connor’s shot.

But they switched off defending a corner straight after, and Arnold lashed in the equaliser in clinical fashion.

That set the stage for a big last 20 minutes, and the excitement was quickly cranked up a level when Vaughan was given his marching orders.

The right-back had been left exposed by a quick counter-attack and his foul on Kevin Holsgrove prevented a near-certain goal.

There was no complaint about the red card, though the Bucks believed the contact had been just outside the box.

The referee disagreed and pointed straight to the spot, but Ryan Young came to Telford’s rescue – diving right to keep out Scott McNiven’s effort.

That gave the visitors a lift, and they made light of their numerical disadvantage to pour forward.

Brown really should have got at least one but the Blue Square North’s player of the month was enduring an off day in front of goal.

He headed over off a Jon Adams cross with the goal gaping and, when he did find his range, was denied by another brilliant reaction save from Halstead.

Hyde almost snatched victory on the break deep into stoppage time when substitute Scott Mooney flashed a shot across the face of goal.

But that would have been harsh on Telford, who now face two home games in a week against play-off rivals. The margin for error is getting ever smaller.

By Chris Hudson