Pictures and analysis of AFC Telford 0 Grimsby 1

New AFC Telford United manager Mark Cooper had warned that Grimsby would have an uncomfortable afternoon against his revamped side on Saturday.

And he was true to his word as the league leaders were certainly rattled at times during a hard-working display by the visitors.

But, for all their energy, and several changes in personnel – the Bucks handed club debuts to all four new signings – the same costly problems remained.

Once again the Bucks were undone by a defensive lapse and, once they were chasing the game, they could not find the goal they needed to rescue anything from the game.

Grimsby came into the game on the crest of a 16-game undefeated streak while the Bucks were chasing a first league win in 18 games, four months to the day since their last Blue Square Bet Premier victory.

And yet there was not much to choose between the teams in an entertaining, if scrappy, first half. Telford pressed their more illustrious opponents high up the pitch and denied them time on the ball.

New signings Ian Craney and Bagasan Graham added some extra strength and pace respectively to the Bucks' midfield too.

And both provided important attacking outlets as Telford went in search of an early goal. Graham showed his speed on a handful of occasions as Phil Trainer looked to release him often down the left wing.

The Cheltenham Town loanee could not find enough quality crosses to match some promising bursts, though.

And it was one of the Bucks' more established members who came closest to a goal in the opening 45 minutes. Steve Jones' curling 12th-minute shot from the edge of the box just cleared the cross bar.

Grimsby were struggling to string together many passes and there were grumbles of discontent among the home supporters. But they began to build some momentum as the half wore on.

Andy Cook got free in the box after an enterprising run in from the left but Ryan Young made the necessary save.

Craig Disley almost scored from the rebound but his low drive was deflected behind for a corner.

At the other end, though, Graham and Craney combined again but the latter could only prod the former's cross straight at James McKeown.

That aside, the remaining chances of the first half were limited to speculative long range efforts.

At the interval there is no question Mark Cooper's side would have been the more satisfied side. But they were caught napping after the re-start and Young had to be at his most agile to deny Cook's header within 30 seconds of the second half.

And when Kris Taylor was caught out of position three minutes later, allowing Richard Brodie goal side, the on-loan Crawley Town striker punished the error ruthlessly. He burst clear of the former Port Vale stopper to gather Joe Colbeck's ball over the top before beating Young at his near post.

From there Telford endured a difficult 20-minute spell of pressure and Cook looked to have sealed the game midway through the half only for his header to be ruled out for offside.

But Trainer came agonisingly close to an equaliser at the other end, his pulsating low drive just drifting wide.

And the Bucks did increase the pressure in the final 20 minutes with substitutes Richard Peniket and Charlie Henry both going close to a leveller.

But the hosts should have killed the game off themselves when, first Cook shot wide from close range and then Ross Hannah fired wide, after a mistake by Will Salmon.

Henry did create one last roll of the dice when he was brought down on the edge of the box in stoppage time but substitute Jay Smith inexplicably sliced the effort high, wide and very ugly.

There were positives in this performance and, while the statistics make grimmer reading by the week for Bucks fans, they are not down yet.

The new players bedded in well and the Bucks do appear to have more strength in depth as a result of their recent additions.

But six points – or at the very least four – does appear to be a must now from two consecutive home games in a week if the Bucks are to give themselves a fighting chance of survival come the end of the season.

By Matthew Viney