Paul Carden angry at AFC Telford capitulation

“It’s the most frustrated, disappointed and angry that I think I’ve been,” said the Bucks boss. “I felt we were the better team in the first half, and deserved the lead without playing great or it being a great game.

“I had a bit of a go at them at half-time, because I just felt we were accepting of how the game was going. It was very scrappy, very stop-start, and we were accepting of how Alfreton wanted to play.”

The Bucks led 1-0 at half-time through one of two Jason Oswell goals, and his second early in the second half seemed to give the Bucks clear daylight, but that soon turned to a form of daylight robbery.

A penalty award barely a minute later gave Alfreton’s Matt Rhead the chance to halve the deficit, and after Bailey Hobson’s stunning strike from distance levelled the scores, former JCB worker Rhead bulldozed his way in at the far post to power in an unstoppable header to rip the points away from Carden’s team.

Carden felt his team contributed to their downfall with some poor decision-making, and also questioned referee Jamie O’Connor’s award of the penalty kick.

“I’ve seen the ball hit Liam’s arm, but it’s not like he’s swung an arm to it,” added Carden. “He’s gone up for the ball, and it’s come on to his arm, and I don’t know how the ref can give the penalty from where he’s at. It’s a penalty from our own daft play, but the second is a worldie, he won’t score another one like that. For the third one, Burkey (Ryan Burke) knows he’s got to do better; he’s let it bounce, but if he’s in that position you’ve got to stop the cross because once he stands it up that’s what Rhead does.

“From being in such a strong position to losing the game was massively, massively… well, disappointed doesn’t do it justice.”