AFC Telford 0 Boston United 1 - match report

In what was a potential play-off dress rehearsal AFC Telford United seemed to suffer from a worrying bout of stage fright.

The Bucks have never been a free-scoring side in the mould of runaway leaders Alfreton but this was still an unusually abject attacking display from Andy Sinton's side.

Boston keeper Paul Bostock cannot have had an easier afternoon all season as Telford laboured to create openings.

Their first effort on target did not come until the 65th minute, a shot on the turn from substitute Phil Trainer that barely tested the Pilgrims' No 1.

A Danny Williams free-kick drilled straight at Bastock's midriff and a tame daisy-cutter from James Lawrie were the only other efforts that followed on what was a depressing afternoon for the home fans.

It's not like Boston were all that much better, and Telford should certainly not be mentally scarred if the two teams have to meet again next month – either in a play-off semi-final or a winner-takes-all final.

But they will have to up their game to come out on top against a well-drilled side who make up for in organisation what they lack in flair.

They will have to sort out, too, their sudden infallibility when defending set-pieces.

Having conceded three from corners against Eastwood the previous Saturday, it was déjà vu against Boston.

Sinton was tearing his hair out at the space gifted to Shaun Pearson to get on the end of Jamie Yates' delivery from the left corner.

And he was baffled by the fact that a player had abandoned his designated station on the post, allowing Pearson's header to go in.

The whole afternoon really was a rather disappointing let-down, especially given the pre-match anticipation.

Helped by a gloriously sunny afternoon and a large away following, the game had attracted only the third crowd of more than 2,000 since the turn of the year.

It had started so promisingly too, the Bucks slicing Boston open inside two minutes before leading scorer Andy Brown blasted over with an eye-catching bicycle kick.

Unfortunately, that was not a sign of things to come as the game became scrappy and punctuated by niggling fouls.

Telford never looked like getting back on level terms and Boston, though not exactly adventurous themselves, had the better chances.

Yates almost went from provider to scorer in first half injury-time with a half-volley that grazed the top of Ryan Young's bar.

Pilgrims wideman Ryan Semple then had two sights of goal early in the second period which could have killed the contest.

Bucks skipper Shane Killock also produced a tremendous saving tackle to nick the ball off the toes of Spencer Weir-Daley as Boston grew in confidence.

In fairness to Telford, they did at least raise their game after that and started to apply pressure thanks to some searching runs down the left from Derby loanee Greg Mills.

But the quality of deliveries from both flanks was poor and Boston coasted to the final whistle.

The Bucks remain well placed for a second place finish, though a victory would have given them a nine-point cushion with just four games to go.

Instead, their advantage over Boston is now down to a more nail-biting three points so this has to go down as a wasted opportunity.

We must hope that hindsight allows us to eventually regard it as a brief blip rather than a more serious loss of form at just the wrong time.

Match analysis by Chris Hudson