Pictures and analysis of Mansfield 1 AFC Telford 0

After a whirlwind of change in the 48 hours before the game, which saw a new defender brought in and a managerial departure, matters on the pitch sadly remained the same.

AFC Telford United's winless run in the league remains – and it has now stretched to 22 matches with Saturday's 1-0 defeat at high-flying Mansfield Town.

And yet again the Bucks were left cursing a defensive error for leading to their downfall.

On-loan Leicester centre-half Karlton Watson was the culprit this weekend when he was caught dallying on the ball 40 yards out by Mansfield striker Matt Green.

The Stags top scorer gratefully accepted the gift, slotting past Ryan Young just four minutes after half-time to take his tally for the season to 17.

Sadly the visitors could have few complaints about falling behind after their goal had already led a charmed life in the first half – in which Mansfield hit the woodwork four times.

Louis Briscoe was the first to rattle the crossbar with an excellent 25-yard drive which swerved violently and had Bucks keeper Young beaten.

Fortunately for Telford it rebounded off the underside of the bar and out, and the goal frame also prevented Mansfield captain Adam Murray opening the scoring from similar distance 12 minutes before the break.

Colin Daniel also struck the base of the far post after Green had beaten Bucks debutant Simon Ford, on loan until the end of the season from Grimsby, on the right wing.

And Lee Stevenson's cross-cum-shot also rebounded back of the bar in the immediate aftermath.

The Bucks could though point to some grave misfortune of their own after Steve Jones missed a glorious chance to put them ahead midway through the first half – and was injured in the process.

The former Walsall hitman appeared to have lost control of the ball 35 yards from goal before Luke Jones's clearance struck him square in the face.

The ricochet allowed The Bucks forward in on goal but had also caused some clear discomfort and he struck a tame shot at Stags goalkeeper Alan Marriott.

His anguish was not over yet though as he was soon taken to hospital with a suspected detached retina as a result.

His replacement Bagasan Graham also created a great chance for Jordan Rose just before the break.

Unfortunately Rose, who had been moved from centre-half to centre-midfield for this game, could not quite reach Graham's low left-wing cross and the chance went begging.

Rose had been causing a few uncomfortable moments for the hosts in his new role and he had almost created a goal when he headed Ian Craney's free-kick back across the six yard box early on.

Watson was just unable to quite reach the ball at the far post though and the chance went begging.

All in all The Bucks were fortunate to reach half-time on level terms but had contributed to an entertaining spectacle.

But, as it had at Newport County the previous weekend, the Bucks conceded soon after the re-start.

Watson had started the second half nervously and Green pounced on a moment of indecision 40-yards from goal. And the 20-year old defender's afternoon got worse when he was shown a second yellow card with 15 minutes left after a foul on Murray.

The hosts tried to press home their numerical advantage but Young twice made excellent saves to keep his side in the game late on.

He did very well to deny substitute Lindon Meikle's deflected effort with seven minutes to go and then even better to block Green's close range effort four minutes later.

And Rose almost punished that wastefulness in stoppage time but his header, from Graham's cross, just crept wide.

While there had been some very poor defending on display from the Bucks on occasions, the game had been closer than expected.

But Telford are now six points adrift at the bottom of the Blue Square Bet Premier, having played at least a game more than their nearest rivals.

Caretaker manager Graham Hyde reiterated afterwards that his team will keep fighting right until the end – and it is an attitude that has to be both expected and admired.

But the brutal truth is that a mountain of a task has now got even steeper over the weekend.

By Matthew Viney