AFC Telford United's Wembley dream is over as streetwise Yeovil prove too strong

Defeat by Yeovil showed that, as far as Kevin Wilkin’s side has travelled in recent times, they are not yet consistently at the level they need to achieve.

In fairness, Wilkin knows his team has further to develop. Many of them were playing Step 3 football 12 months ago, and their recent good form suggests they’re on the right track and making headway. This, however, was a step up in class, and ultimately a step too far.

The visitors from Somerset, a full-time outfit from a division higher, were not vastly superior to the Bucks; however, they bore the hallmarks of a side that works at their game daily.

With a couple of exceptions, they were physically bigger, more robust and streetwise too.

A goal in either half for Billy Rowley’s team proved enough, and, unfortunately, both contained unwitting contributions from individual Bucks. Ammar Dyer’s own goal put them behind, and just as they were starting to gather their resources to push for a leveller, Jordan Piggott was bullied by Tahvon Campbell, giving the striker an opportunity he didn’t waste.

There was and should be no finger-pointing in either Dyer’s or Piggott’s direction. The two critical moments came from Yeovil testing them and eventually finding a vulnerability. That is what good sides do, and it underscored the difference between the teams’ full-time and part-time status.

Wilkin restored Matty Stenson to the starting XI after his one-match suspension for his dismissal at Hornchurch. Jimmy Armson returned to the bench, following his contribution to the 4-1 victory at Merthyr Town in midweek.

The visitors were assertive right from kick-off, looking sharper and that little bit more aggressive in the tackle, moving the ball well, and generally asking questions of the Bucks.

Within five minutes, Dyer had to make a terrific block, sliding in to deny Harvey Greenslade.

The Bucks were trying to match them, but were overworked in trying to stay with the Glovers and stay in the game. 

Yeovil kept probing and testing the Bucks’ defence, who continued to hold out. In the 25h minute, they owed parity to left wing-back Dakarai Mafico’s less-than-assured finish when picked out by Josh Sims.

There was a sense that the Bucks may have just about blunted the Glovers' initial sharpness, but, in the 27th minute, a goal the visitors may feel they had earned came about cruelly. 

Mafico sent Greenslade into space on the left of the box, and his cross from tight to the line struck Dyer. The change of direction took it past Josh Gracey, into space at his near post, leaving Dyer and Gracey grounded and the Bucks floored.

The goal brought a slackening off from Yeovil, at least in an attacking sense, and they used the 15 minutes or so to half-time to consolidate their advantage.

It would be inaccurate to describe it as a momentum shift, but the Bucks did enjoy a bit more possession as the half closed. Nevertheless, they’d undoubtedly been second best.

The early second half action saw Mafico’s low shot saved by Gracey, while Jordan Cranston volleyed over at the other end.

Yeovil keeper Jed Ward was forced into action to claim a Piggott cross, and as he did so Stenson went to ground, grappling with Ferguson, and the striker’s frustration saw him remonstrate with Ferguson, neither man backing down as they went chest-to-chest. Ferguson then went down, clutching his face, and referee Aaron Farmer booked Stenson.

The incident engaged the home fans in the contest, and their passionate response began to lift their team. However, a second gut punch of the afternoon soon winded the hosts.

Campbell, the powerful Glovers’ striker, linked up with Greenslade on the left with. Greenslade’s pass for Troy Perrett saw Cranston bundle Perrett off the ball, but Campbell had kept going and was too strong for Piggott. He took the ball off the defender and, in a flash, finished past the exposed Gracey.

It was ruthless from the Glovers, a rapier thrust into wounded opponents, and almost certainly it spelt game over.

There was nothing to lose now; the Bucks had to throw some caution to the wind, and they enjoyed a prolonged spell of possession, but without being able to prise anything like a clear scoring chance from the visitors. 

There was no shortage of effort from anyone in white, but there was to be no repeat of their recovery from two goals down, as there had been against Altrincham, two rounds earlier.

The Bucks went down fighting, but the visitors had done their job to a tee.