AFC Telford 2 Alfreton 1

Simply scintillating! In one night of drama and passion AFC Telford United may not quite have blown the Blue Square Bet North title race wide open, but they have certainly exposed a chink of light.

Alfreton, unbeaten on their travels all season until they arrived at the New Bucks Head, remain well placed for ultimate glory — even after dropping to fourth on the back of this result.

But with a daunting 19 games to play in the last nine weeks of the season — many of those against their main promotion rivals — they are far from home and dry.

Telford had tried to play down the importance of this fixture but their tremendous performance — packed with commitment and quality — lived up to all the pre-match hype.

The margin of victory could have been more convincing. The visitors' goal was peppered in that second period and the Bucks might have rued a succession of missed opportunities, especially when Alex Meechan saw his 78th minute penalty saved by former Telford keeper Chris MacKenzie,

Deserved

In the end that proved academic as they claimed a deserved three points that means they can now boast victories against every other side in the top six this season.

Alfreton had seen plenty of the ball in the first half but could not break down a defence excellently marshalled by the again-outstanding Shane Killock.

When they did get a sight of goal, rookie keeper Aaron McCarey — making his debut on loan from Wolves — proved up to the task.

The Republic of Ireland under-19s international handled excellently and made one super save to deny Anthony Howell.

Visibly growing in confidence as they got into their stride, Telford really found their rhythm from the half hour mark and took the lead four minutes before the break when Killock headed in off a Greg Mills corner.

The Reds might have felt aggrieved to be behind at the interval but they had no answer after the restart as the Shropshire side looked to press home their advantage.

Phil Trainer, Jon Adams and Mills all went painfully close to doubling the lead before Alfreton defender Scott Garner conceded a penalty when handling a goal-bound header from Killock.

But Telford's record this season from the 12-yard spot is woeful and the otherwise exceptional Meechan added another entry to the miserable list of misses with a weak effort easily saved by MacKenzie.

Alfreton should have been reduced to 10 men soon after as their substitute Paul Clayton was somehow allowed to escape with a booking after a violent lunge with his studs into the chest of Stuart Whitehead.

But the Bucks got their retribution in the only way that really matters — going two up deep into injury-time with a fabulous goal started by a long throw from McCarey and set up with a sublime diagonal pass from substitute Adam Proudlock. Andy Brown added the quality finish the move deserved.

Fortunes

There was still time for Garner to pull one back as Telford's defence was for once caught napping but it proved of little consequence.

With this win the Bucks have already surpassed last season's total points tally of 51 from 17 fewer games, such has been the change in fortunes under Andy Sinton.

And this terrific night could yet prove just a stepping stone to the ultimate goal of promotion.