AFC Telford 0 Nuneaton 3 - Match analysis and pictures

Caretaker boss John Psaras has the unenviable task of lifting his troops for this afternoon's game at Forest Green Rovers after a bitterly disappointing 3-0 defeat to Boro at the New Bucks Head.

Outgunned, outpaced, outclassed – the Bucks made Kevin Wilkin's relegation-threatened side look like promotion contenders.

Gone were the positives fans clung to after recent battling defeats at Macclesfield and Lincoln – Psaras admitted his team took "two steps backwards".

The Bucks are now setting records for all the wrong reasons. As well as stretching their non-league winless run to 28 games, they are the first club in the top five divisions of English football to be confirmed as relegated at Easter, with four games still to play.

Rubbing further salt into Bucks' wounds, former frontman Andy Brown ran riot. He scored twice – but could have had a hatful.

Telford's last victory, their 1-0 FA Trophy round one replay win against Nuneaton last November, could not seem further in the past. Such a long winless run can sap confidence but, after recent battling displays, the Bucks have to look at themselves after such a poor start set the tone for a dire afternoon.

Telford switched off in the opening four minutes – when Nuneaton blitzed forward and won four corners – and shortly after half-time, when another slow start cost them as Brown nodded in the visitors' second goal.

Yes, Nuneaton were fired up as they have a realistic chance of survival. But they had played two midweek matches compared with Telford's seven-day break since last weekend's defeat at Lincoln – yet were quicker all over the park.

Despite Nuneaton's early barrage, Telford held firm at the back and almost took a shock lead. Centre-half Gavin Cowan handed his former club a gift when he sold stopper Lee Burge short with a poor back-pass. James Spray latched on to the opportunity, but his shot was blocked.

That didn't halt Nuneaton's momentum, though. Brown missed a one-on-one with Young, running the ball out of play, and then saw a header cleared off the line.

An automated stadium alert appeared to be sharing Bucks fans' fears, issuing three false 'code red' warnings as well as mistakenly advising the evacuation of the ground for an emergency.

Telford's defenders weren't on red alert, however, when Boro deservedly took the lead on 34 minutes. Impressive Coventry loanee Aaron Phillips exchanged a one-two with Brown before calmly side-footing into the far corner.

Although Louis Moult lashed a shot just wide a minute later, Telford improved before the break. Steven Leslie's effort deflected for a corner and Ian Craney, who had earlier gone close with a left-footed strike straight at the keeper, headed wide from close range on 40 minutes after a good cross from Alex Meechan.

With recent three-goal hero Steve Jones out injured, the Bucks couldn't bag the goal they needed to lift them.

Hopes of a comeback were dealt a big blow just four minutes after the restart when Wes York beat Ryan Valentine for pace on the right and swung in a cross that Brown bundled in at the near post before celebrating exuberantly.

The second goal was the knockout blow. But for two efforts from impressive young substitute James O'Neill, who saw a shot well blocked by Phillips and a late header excellently saved with one hand by Burge, Telford rarely threatened – the writing was on the wall.

Nuneaton's party didn't finish early, however. Brown got his second when a close-range header from a Boro corner on 73 minutes bounced off the bar and Young was unable to punch the ball clear before the ball crossed the line – a decision made by the linesman and quickly agreed by the referee.

Brown should have had his hat-trick late on, but a sliding tackle from Christian Smith denied him from four yards.

Can things get any worse? Perhaps so, with play-off chasing Forest Green waiting to pounce this afternoon. The Telford players need to up their game, quickly, if they want to stop the rot.

John Tompson