AFC Telford showing title credentials - analysis and pictures

Winning 3-0, despite playing second fiddle to the Bluebirds for a period of time, should tell you all you need to know.

The Bucks even lost a man – even if it was only for a short time – to a red card, while they were somewhat fortuitous to be ahead at the break through a goal that, perhaps, shouldn't have stood.

But that's no criticism of Telford or manager Liam Watson, even football in general. After all, Manchester United have spent most of the last 20 years winning titles in the same sort of fashion.

To finish top of the pile, trips like Barrow away are the sort of places where you need to go and get a result. And Watson – the only man to win this league twice – watched his side do exactly that.

They led through Mike Grogan's first-half strike and he added a second with 10 minutes to go. Matthew McGinn was red-carded late on, before Tony Gray scored with a free-kick.

Telford could have opened the scoring as early as the second minute and it was nearly disaster for home goalkeeper Tony McMillan. His pass out went straight to Gray, who thought fast to swing a cross into strike partner Adam Farrell, who headed just wide of the target.

The visitors were on target again in the seventh minute through Sean Cooke's snap-shot, the winger going for goal from Gray's knock-down 20 yards out, but there were safe hands from McMillan.

Another chance went astray on 10 minutes with a sign of goal threat to come from Grogan, who flung himself at a cross from Cooke. This time, it was wide of the post.

The Bucks' upper hand during the early exchanges was underlined when they broke the deadlock on 14 minutes, albeit with more than a hint of offside to Grogan's first strike.

McMillan had redeemed himself with a terrific reaction save, as Farrell headed towards goal from McGinn's cross.

The ball ran free for Grogan to smuggle the ball into the empty net and the midfielder immediately glanced towards the linesman, who kept his flag down as the goal stood.

Strangely, the Barrow defenders didn't protest, nor did the home supporters who were stunned into silence as the cluster of Bucks fans scattered around the ground celebrated.

Telford goalkeeper Ryan Young had his hands warmed by Duran Reynolds' shot back off the defensive wall on 18 minutes, but the shot-stopper was properly called into action 11 minutes later.

Paddy Lacey lifted a ball over the defence from just outside the box right on to the foot of striker Nick Rushton, but Young was on hand to parry the ball wide.

The increasing ire of the home fans became more evident when Clancy saw yellow, not red, for a late challenge on Andrew Burns. Referee Paul Brown got a lot of barracking.

Farrell fired wide on 37 minutes as the away side headed towards the break in front. McGinn fed the striker who was all alone, with little other option but to shoot.

Barrow picked up the pace after the break. Nicky Walker's effort in the 54th minute could have gone anywhere, before dropping wide of the far post.

Alex-Ray Harvey's ball should have been dealt with by Wes Baynes, but the right-back lost his footing and the ball ran free to Walker. In the end, he couldn't make the most of it.

Young was nearly left red-faced 10 minutes into the second-half after dropping a corner in, only to grab hold of the ball under pressure from Lacey.

The hosts had the ball in the net on 65 minutes when Marcus Carver headed home Lacey's cross from the right, but the effort was chalked off for offside.

Danny O'Donnell then blazed what looked a good opportunity for Barrow over in the 68th minute, going for goal from 20 yards with the free ball after Carver and Parkinson got in each other's way.

Burns was again stopped in his tracks by a Telford man in the 73rd minute, substitute Mike Phenix following Clancy into the referee's book for another late challenge.

McMillan's suspect approach to crosses almost got him back into trouble, too, with 12 minutes to go. Gray was again the willing recipient, spinning on the ball to shoot just wide.

McGinn's first booking came seconds later for tripping Rushton as the Barrow striker tried to bustle free near the away goal.

Three points then went into the bag with three minutes to go when Grogan was, again, in the right place at the right time.

He didn't have to move, merely leap to meet an inviting ball in to guide a looping header past McMillan and into the net. The ball in, once more, was from McGinn.

His dismissal in the last minute wouldn't have had much bearing on the result.

Already skating on thin ice, his tackle on Harvey saw him take an earlier-than-expected walk off the park.

Reynolds was also booked for Barrow after tripping Phenix in stoppage time, before Gray had the final word with a strike his display warranted.

He lashed in a free-kick two minutes after the 90, his set-piece flashing under McMillan to add further credibility to the score-line.

The full-time whistle went shortly after, the job done. Watson and Co packed up, jumped on the coach and headed home.

Now their focus will be on winning the next football match.

That's what winners do. That's what champions do.

By Craig Birch