Pictures and analysis of Woking 5 AFC Telford 2

AFC Telford United showed plenty of fight and were far more creative in front of goal than they have been for several weeks.

But a defensive horror show – and a moment of indiscretion by goalkeeper Ryan Young – proved the Bucks' undoing in a seven-goal thriller against Woking.

John Psaras's side conceded after just four minutes. And it set the tone for an afternoon of defensive errors from both sides, albeit on a very muddy pitch, which made a short passing game difficult to employ.

Hat-trick hero Bradley Bubb opened the scoring for the hosts via a deflection from Adam Newton's cut back following a Billy Knott short corner.

At the other end Bucks midfielder Phil Trainer was denied a great chance to equalise when Cards defender Joe McNerney just beat him to Nathan Rooney's free-kick at the far post.

But Woking's pace was causing problems for the Bucks, especially down the flanks. And they sprung a swift counter-attack from Rooney's stray pass to double the lead through Jayden Stockley's smart finish after just 14 minutes.

At this stage it looked like Telford could be on the end of a real hammering. But Woking were also showing severe defensive vulnerability and Steve Jones almost pulled one back after 20 minutes following a moment of hesitancy by the Cards back-line.

A lofted ball forward from the back was allowed to bounce into the area where Woking goalkeeper Seb Brown managed to deny Steven Leslie from close range.

The rebound though fell to Jones who went round Brown only to slot just over the bar, albeit with two players on the goal line.

It was a big let-off and the same player was soon cursing his luck again when Brown brilliantly denied his close range header from Leslie's right-wing cross.

Jones looked unlucky not to win a penalty six minutes before the interval, but Brett Johnson's apparent trip was adjudged a fair challenge by the referee.

And within four minutes the Cards were 3-0 up and seemingly out of sight. Ian Craney was dispossessed by Jack Parkinson midway inside the Bucks' half and his through-ball found Bubb, who glided through a static back line to slot past Young.

Unsurprisingly, Psaras made changes at half-time, with James Spray replacing Ian Craney.

The former Wolves striker was moved to right-wing with Rooney brought into central midfield and the change helped galvanise the Bucks' attack.

They had their reward within nine minutes of the re-start, but only after Young had twice superbly denied Stockley, and Billy Knott has slotted wide for Woking.

Nathan Rooney's quick free-kick was nodded back across goal by Ryan Valentine and Jones smashed home for his ninth goal of the season to reduce the deficit.

The Cards should have restored their two-goal buffer within four minutes, but Parkinson somehow scooped the ball over the bar from virtually on the line after Kevin Betsy's low shot-cum-cross had beaten Young. At the other end Jones struck the post from a tight angle after good work by Spray and fellow second half substitute Alex Meechan.

Meechan's introduction meant Telford played the last 33 minutes of normal time with four strikers on the pitch – a brave but necessary response given Telford 's awful league position.

Jones was again denied by Brown after Aaron Williams put him through with 13 minutes left, but Telford finally got their second breakthrough when Williams nodded home Valentine's left-wing cross with nine minutes to go.

The momentum was now very much with the Bucks, but the visitors' habit of self-destructing reared its head again when Young was adjudged to have manhandled Parkinson inside the box.

The Bucks keeper appeared to take exception to the player going to ground in the box and, with the ball still in play, grabbed him by his shirt.

He was booked for the foul and then beaten from the penalty spot as Bubb completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute.

There was still time for one more defensive calamity as Betsy pounced on defender Simon Ford's short back pass to slot past Young in stoppage time.

Overall this was a thoroughly entertaining game but defeat drags the Bucks yet closer to relegation. And with just seven games left to turn things around, survival now looks very, very unlikely.

By Matthew Viney