Pictures and analysis of AFC Telford 0 Dartford 2

After last Monday's defensive heroics against Forest Green, Saturday's 2-0 defeat at home to Dartford represented a step back in terms of performance for AFC Telford.

That was the view of disappointed Bucks boss John Psaras, who saw his side undone by defensive errors early into the first and second half – the latter of which he branded 'schoolboy defending'.

The caretaker manager had understandably kept faith with the makeshift back four which had performed so well to keep out Forest Green five days earlier.

But on this occasion they looked far more vulnerable and the ease with which Telford were sliced open for the opening goal after just 11 minutes confirmed as much.

Jason Prior escaped his marker Christian Smith at the far post to tap home Charlie Sheringham's scuffed shot across goal after the latter had been give too much space on his way into the box.

And Dartford effectively wrapped up the points just four minutes after the interval in similarly comfortable fashion when Sheringham pounced on Prior's ball over the top to outpace Michael Briscoe before slotting past keeper Ryan Young.

It could have been very different had 18-year-old striker James O'Neill found the net for the hosts just two minutes in.

The academy player, making his second start for the first team, was Telford's brightest attacking threat throughout and he drew a strong save from Dartford keeper Csaba Somogyi with a powerful header from Marco Adaggio's right-wing cross.

At the other end Jon Wallis tested Young's reflexes just two minutes later but found the Bucks custodian equal to his fizzing effort.

But the Darts breached the Bucks' back line in their next attack of note and suddenly any talk of a Telford double over the visitors – who they beat 4-1 way back in October for their last league win – seemed a very tall order.

From there on in there was little in the way of inspiration from either side for the next 25 minutes or so.

Phil Trainer, playing his 200th competitive game for Telford, did try his luck from distance twice to no avail.

But there was still an air of vulnerability about the Telford defence as Sheringham – son of former England and Manchester United striker Teddy – headed over Ryan Hayes's inviting right-wing cross midway through the half.

There was nothing wrong with his far-post header seven minutes before the break which required Young to make a close-range block, followed immediately by another quick save from Prior's follow-up.

And the Bucks almost made the most of their escape as first Steven Leslie drilled just wide and then O'Neill was again denied by Somogyi before the break. But the hosts had Adaggio to thank for clearing a goalbound effort off the line in stoppage time after Young had partially blocked Sheringham's strike.

On balance the half-time score was a fair one but the game remained there for the taking. Unfortunately it was the visitors who were quickest out of the traps and they doubled their lead in clinical style.

That blow, and the introduction of striker Alex Meechan, seemed to stir Telford back into action and, to their credit, they probably shaded the final third of the contest.

O'Neill almost pulled a goal back immediately but his low drive cannoned back off the post and Nathan Rooney could not keep his follow-up under the bar.

Meechan did manage to test Somogyi after tirelessly running down an Adaggio pass but the angle was just too tight to find a way past the Hungarian.

At the other end Prior should have killed the game off with 19 minutes left but headed just wide.

But the game had to be stopped for several minutes immediately following that incident after defender Michael Briscoe suffered a worrying leg injury in a seemingly innocuous collision with the Darts attacker.

The Bucks finished the game strongly with Meechan, Rooney and O'Neill all going close.

The loss stretched the Bucks' winless run in the league to 30 matches and many will be glad to see the back of this hugely difficult season when it comes to an end in just under a fortnight's time.

By Matthew Viney