Super AFC Telford bounce back in some style - match analysis and pictures
What a difference a day makes – all memories of a new club-record defeat record were long forgotten by full-time at AFC Telford United on Saturday.
You couldn't get much more of a contrast from Tuesday night, when the players' heads were in their hands after a resounding 6-1 drubbing at Guiseley.
The one person who didn't panic was Telford manager Liam Watson, who argued that all the club had really lost was a game in hand and a chunk of goal difference.
The Bucks were still only a point behind Skrill Conference North league leaders North Ferriby United, on the same amount of games played. One run of fixtures could make all the difference.
And so it came to pass as Watson's side produced the goods against Altrincham, while North Ferriby United were busy blowing their lines on home turf, being held to a draw by Stockport.
It's now the Villagers who are doing the chasing going into their trip to Stalybridge Celtic tomorrow night, with Telford also on the road for a first ever trip to Oxford City.
North Ferriby also have to go to Alty next Saturday, while the current league leaders have an easier-on-paper journey to Colwyn Bay.
The reality today is that it's Telford's title to lose as they close in on the target of being crowned champions on the 10th anniversary of their birth. The omens are all there.
Goals from Mike Grogan, Neill Byrne and Adam Farrell led the Bucks to three deserved points against Alty, despite James Walshaw's late reply for the visitors.
Coupled with league leaders North Ferriby's goalless draw at home to Stockport, it was enough to take them back to the summit by a point.
Altrincham goalkeeper Stuart Coburn was called into serious action with just six minutes on the clock, as balls rained into their box.
Telford captain Simon Grand had already headed goalkeeper Ryan Young's free-kick into Coburn's hands, three minutes before he worked the Alty shot-stopper again.
Luton Town loan winger Shaun Whalley picked the skipper out at the back post and he poised himself to meet the ball on the volley, Coburn parrying the ball wide.
It was all Telford early on when another kick from goalkeeper Young was knocked down by Andy Owens to Farrell, whose shot deflected behind for a corner.
It seemed a matter of time before they broke the deadlock and there was nothing visiting shot-stopper Coburn could do when the Bucks did just that in the 18th minute through Grogan.
Another great ball to the back post, this time from Farrell, was greatly received by the midfield enforcer for his 13th goal of the season, his low header giving Coburn no chance.
Skipper Grand proved a threat for Telford at set-pieces, with Whalley the provider-in-chief during another busy shift.
This time, his free-kick on the right was met with a looping header that dropped just over the Altrincham bar on 23 minutes.
Alty midfielder Jake Moult got it horribly wrong on two occasions – the first of which, in the 31st minute, saw his shot fly out for a throw-in rather than hit the target.
There was a huge penalty call on 36 minutes when Coburn raced out of his area to close down Whalley, who went down under the flailing hands of the goalkeeper.
All eyes turned to referee Andy Scregg who raced over and harshly booked the attacker for diving, the second match in succession he's picked up a yellow card for the same offence.
It was head in hands time for Moult four minutes before the break when, with time and space on the edge of the box, his mishit effort sailed well wide of the goal.
A former Telford striker replaced another for Alty in first-half stoppage time, with the injured Damian Reeves going off, Kyle Perry coming on in his place.
But the strike that mattered went to the Bucks in the 51st minute when Byrne, up from the back, directed a header downwards and past Coburn from a choice Matthew McGinn free-kick.
It looked like it was going to be another one of those days for Farrell when he completely missed the target in the 58th minute after Owen's lay-off.
And you can bet your bottom dollar Farrell will be claiming his first goal in open play since January's 2-2 draw at North Ferriby from Telford's third on the day.
The club's top-scorer leathered a shot that deflected off Altrincham defender Scott Leather but didn't change the ball's direction, still beating Coburn all ends up.
It could have been 4-0 a minute later had Coburn not again saved Alty's bacon, pushing Whalley's effort at the far post away after the loanee raced onto McGinn's ball over the top.
That proved the precursor to the visitors pulling one back in the 73rd minute, as Telford defensively shot themselves in the foot.
A mix-up between Grand and Young, who both failed to boot into touch, allowed Walshaw to creep in past the two and stick the ball into an empty net. It proved to no avail.
The full-time whistle sounded to songs among the home faithful of 'going up, up, up', but you can bet Watson and the players will be keeping their feet on the ground. There's work to be done yet.
By Craig Birch
