Pictures and analysis of AFC Telford 1 Hyde 3

It was supposed to be the game that kick-started AFC Telford United's survival campaign.

Instead their 3-1 home defeat by fellow strugglers Hyde may well be remembered as the game that sealed their fate.

It is still mathematically possible for Mark Cooper's side to beat the drop but it is difficult to see where the necessary points are going to come from.

Last night's game started well enough, with Charlie Henry and Will Salmon combining on the right after just three minutes.

But, unfortunately, Jake Reid could only slice his shot tamely towards Hyde goalkeeper Chris Dilo and the chance went begging.

At the other end, Telford custodian Ryan Young nearly handed Hyde a 10th-minute lead when his awful kick out was charged down by Matthew Blinkhorn.

But the Hyde hitman struck the post from a one-on-one situation barely 12 yards out, allowing the relieved goalkeeper to gather gratefully at the second attempt.

Telford regrouped and Henry saw a fierce effort deflected behind for a corner after Jay Smith's impressive ball out to the right wing.

The Bucks did appear to be winning the midfield battle with Henry, Smith and Ian Craney all looking creative.

Meanwhile, Hyde were reduced to efforts from distance, with right-back Josh Brizell trying his luck from 30 yards out but failing to hit the target.

Blinkhorn also failed to trouble Young with a gentle header, having escaped his marker in the box soon afterwards.

Telford stopper Jordan Rose should probably have done better when he gathered Reid's flick-on from Craney's corner 27 minutes in as the centre-back dragged his shot meekly into the side netting.

Henry did hit the target on the half-hour after good work from Smith and Reid but keeper Dilo did well to make the save.

However, Telford's promising start was derailed when Shay McCartan burst down the left wing and clipped over an inch-perfect cross which Blinkhorn headed home from close range.

It was a deflating blow and arguably one Telford had not deserved but they almost hit back straight away, when Dilo pushed Craney's cross round the post.

Craney then hit the side netting from Reid's knockdown soon afterwards, again after good work from Henry on the right.

Bucks fans were calling for Dilo to leave the field, though, after he collided with Reid on the edge of the box five minutes before half-time but the referee deemed no foul.

Two minutes later, Henry clipped a vicious drive wide after a winding run in from the right.

At the other end, the visitors were still posing a threat and Young was forced to make an athletic save from Brizell's thumping long-range drive just before the interval.

Ryan Valentine's cross offered a moment of hope eight minutes after the restart when Dilo flapped under pressure from Reid, but Craney could only hook the ball wide from the rebound.

Yet Telford appeared to be struggling for inspiration and their build-up play was laboured as they approached the hour mark.

Hyde had also created very little of note in the first 15 minutes of the second period but that changed when half-time substitute Scott Spencer hammered home a second for the visitors after good work from Phil Jevons on the hour.

When Craney saw a header repelled yards out just a few minutes later, the writing appeared to be on the wall for Telford.

But they were given hope when substitute Richard Peniket headed home Craney's left-wing cross with 25 minutes remaining to give them a temporary lifeline.

Suddenly the Bucks were looking dangerous and they looked to have a decent penalty shout for handball turned down after 73 minutes, when Peniket's cross appeared to strike Mark Allott's arm inside the box.

Nothing was given and, as if to rub salt in the wounds, Hyde went down the other end and were rightly awarded a penalty of their own when Spencer was brought down by Rose with 13 minutes remaining.

Jevons duly sent Young the wrong way to end the contest.

By Matthew Viney