AFC Telford 1 Tamworth 0 - Match analysis

AFC Telford United will be playing Blue Square Bet Premier football next season – after the Bucks clinched a 1-0 win against Tamworth at the New Bucks Head.

And once more, Phil Trainer was the man who scored the vital goal at a vital time. The 30-year-old former Oxford United man scored the goal in the play-off final that clinched promotion last season, and 13 minutes from time, Trainer netted the goal that will keep them in the division next season.

Andy Sinton made four changes for the game, with Daniel Preston, Jay Smith, Adam Proudlock and Ryan Brooke all drafted into the starting line-up.

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Chairman Lee Carter's decision to make the game free entry appeared to pay off with the Bucks visibly buoyed by the vociferous backing from the stands prior to kick-off.

Tamworth, though, were out the blocks quickly and looked keen to spoil the party.

Connor Gudger dived a little over-exuberantly into a challenge with Will Salmon and received the first booking after three minutes.

The early intensity settled, and it was Telford who created the first clear opening after a quarter of an hour.

Chris Sharp burst down the left and the auxiliary wide man arced the ball towards goal before Kyle Nix cleared it off the line.

Tamworth had their brightest opening five minutes later, when Preston lost a header to Iyseden Christie, leaving a gap behind him that Gudger went scampering into but the teenager shot wide.

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Chris Blackburn had a great chance on 37 minutes when he leapt unchallenged in the box but his thumping header flew over.

Adam Proudlock was incensed when he went down inside the area after a collision with Nix, but rather than give a penalty, referee Kevin Johnson showed him a yellow card for dissent.

The 31-year-old striker almost opened the scoring just before the break when Ryan Valentine flashed a fine ball across goal that the former Wolves man just missed with his outstretched boot.

The rain started pelting down during the break, but the second half started the same way the first finished, with Telford pouring forward.

Brown hit a shot within 30 seconds of the restart that squirmed out of Jonathan Hedge's hands and behind for a corner that Tamworth managed to clear.

Tamworth were beginning to have their moments on the break though. Ryan Young had to be at his very best to deny Liam McDonald, doing well to palm away his 25-yard rasper in tricky conditions.

Sinton sensed that his side were beginning to lose their grip on the game and threw on Steve Jones and Kyle Perry at the expense of Smith and Proudlock. And with 13 minutes left, the breakthrough the Bucks deserved finally arrived.

Ryan Valentine cut in from the left and floated a ball out to the wide right edge of the box, Chris Sharp stretched every sinew to direct it across the face and Phil Trainer tucked the ball into the gaping net.

There was an ugly moment late on when a supporter appeared to manhandle a Tamworth player on the touchline but the Bucks survived a few nervy moments in the closing stages and held on to claim a priceless win and, with it, survival.

Stuart Hodge