Shropshire Star

Aaron Williams seals draw for AFC Telford

Marquee summer signing Aaron Williams’s late strike saw AFC Telford United end pre-season with a 2-2 draw at Concord Rangers.

Published

Fellow new arrival Doug Tharme also scored on his debut, after being snapped up on loan from Wrexham.

The Bucks, of National League North, went down to Essex to face the National League South side and kick-off had to be delayed by 15 minutes because of traffic along the way.

But Gavin Cowan’s charges started strongly on Saturday afternoon, with Tharme finding the net after just 19 minutes at The Aspect Arena.

The young defender met a corner from the right and powerfully headed past Rangers keeper Chris Haigh.

Telford went into the break behind, though, following a quick-fire double from Danny Green.

His first came as the Bucks looked to clear their lines after a corner but could not get the ball away far enough, allowing Green to slip in past the defence and beat keeper Corey Addai – just signed on a one-month loan from Coventry City.

Only a couple of minutes later, Green doubled his and the home side’s tally by latching on to a diagonal ball from the left and emphatically driving the ball home past Addai via the far post.

Cowan’s men then started to see more of the ball in the closing stages after several changes – and eventually made their possession count.

A deserved leveller came four minutes from time when substitute Chris Lait played the ball to James McQuilkin, whose low delivery was turned in by Williams.

Lait then won a free-kick and the ball was launched into the box in search of a winner, but Rangers managed to clear.

Telford begin the National North term on Saturday as they head to Kettering Town (3pm).