Nuneaton 1 AFC Telford 2 - Report and pictures

The Bucks were not at the races in the first half and deservedly went into the interval behind, courtesy of a Ryan Edmunds strike from a few yards out.

But Andre Brown and Henry Cowans entered the fray in the second, and both of them scored to come out on top.

Cowan's side have now won three matches on the spin, and are firmly in the National League North play-offs.

Telford stuck with the same team which romped to a 4-1 victory against Leamington at the weekend.

That meant, surprising some, Dom Smith kept his place in defence, with skipper Shane Sutton - after serving a one-match ban - among the substitutes.

Nuneaton had midfielder Jordan Lussey, who spent the whole of last season with the Bucks, making his debut.

Cowan's charges cruised to victory against Jimmy Ginnelly's men at the New Bucks Head on Boxing Day and were hoping to make a sharp start to this clash.

They dominated possession in the first several minutes but had to be wary of speedy striker Dior Angus, who caused a couple of problems in the reverse fixture.

Smith was the one marking Angus, and the centre-half seemed pretty nervous whenever the forward made use of his pace and trickery.

Sensing they could catch Telford cold, Nuneaton started to push up the pitch, and, just after Carl Baker had a snapshot go wide, that approach was rewarded.

Lussey found space in the danger zone and his left-footed effort was saved by Andy Wycherley, but Edmunds, completely unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box, gobbled up the rebound.

Wycherley was wondering where his defence had gone.

They continued to look shaky as well. Baker was pulling the strings, and his cross from the byline found Angus, who headed narrowly over the crossbar.

The Bucks did improve slightly as the half drew to a close. Daniel Udoh saw his long-range attempt fly wide after a neat turn, but, on the whole, they gave the ball away too cheaply on too many occasions.

Midfielders Ellis Deeney, donning the armband, and Jon Royle were the main culprits. Royle was particularly slow to get the ball out of his feet.

Much more was required, for Telford to turn things around.

And Cowan decided to make a change for the second period, as James McQuilkin replaced the out-of-sorts Royle in the centre of the park.

The aim was to apply some more pressure on the hosts, but Nuneaton had a decent opportunity to double their advantage just after the restart.

Reece Leek, who was unmarked at the far post, could only poke the ball wide after a corner.

Clearly not content with what he was seeing, Cowan opted to make another substitution in the 53rd minute.

Brown came on, looking to break through Nuneaton's.centre-halves. Amari Morgan-Smith was the one who went off.

The Bucks then began to show glimpses of what they are about going forward.

McQuilkin played a one-two with Knights before his reverse pass found Brown, who struck the ball past the post from an acute angle.

Just past the hour mark, speaking volumes of the display, Cowan introduced his third and final sub - Cowans on for Ryan Barnett.

If he could have taken five or six off, he probably would have. But it was down to McQuilkin, Brown and Cowans to make a significant impact.

And Brown and Cowans did just that, with their goals completing the comeback. Daniels, fresh from signing on a permanent basis, forced Cameron Belford to tip his ferocious free-kick over the crossbar.

Daniels then swung in a corner, which Brown emphatically headed home - his first goal since October.

Telford then only had one thing on their mind - all three points.

Udoh thought he had clinched them after a Belford gaffe, only to be denied by an immense last-ditch tackle from Mike Calveley.

But Cowans broke Nuneaton hearts eight minutes from time. Daniels was the provider once again, flashing the ball across goal for Cowans to convert from close range.

Not a classic Bucks performance, by any stretch of the imagination. By the end of the campaign though, it could be a vital victory.

Teams

Nuneaton (4-5-1): Belford (c), Obeng, Calveley, Addison, Kelly-Evans; Edmunds (Panayiotou, 83), Hildreth, Baker, Lussey (Lyne, 71), Leek (Jennings, 83); Angus

Subs: Basso (gk), Morrison

Goal: Edmunds (20)

Telford (3-5-2): Wycherley; Streete, Smith, White; Barnett, Royle (McQuilkin, 46), Deeney (c), Knights, Daniels; Morgan-Smith (Brown, 53), Udoh

Subs: Sutton, Morley, Cowans

Goals: Brown (79), Cowans (82)

Referee: Aaron Jackson (Liverpool)