Shropshire Star

AFC Telford United 2 Stratford Town 1 - Report

Reece Styche bagged a debut goal as AFC Telford United returned to winning ways with a narrow victory over Stratford Town.

Published

The experienced striker, who only arrived at the club prior to last week's FA Trophy defeat, bagged the second in the win at the New Bucks Head.

However, there was a sour note for the Bucks as Fraser Kerr suffered a suspected broken ankle in the first period.

REPORT

The Bucks went close to taking the lead after just nine minutes as Ricardo Dinanga's cross was inches away from finding Jordan Piggott in the box.

They did go ahead on 17 minutes though - as a defensive mix-up saw the ball fall to Byron Moore and he fired home past the visiting keeper.

But Kevin Wilkin's men were dealt a blow soon after when captain Kerr had to be taken off due to injury, with fears the defender may have suffered a broken ankle.

However, that didn't put a dent in the Bucks as ten minutes later they were two ahead thanks to Styche.

The home side won back possession and threaded a ball through to the frontman who advanced forward and fired in a second.

Their two goal advantage lasted all of six minutes though as Dan Lafferty picked up the ball and curled a superb effort into Brandon Hall's top left hand corner.

Hall produced a top instinctive save early in the second period to keep the Bards at bay - before Styche went close to a Bucks third as he fired just past Louis Beresford's post.

Then ten minutes later it really should have been three as Moore had a shot blocked, before Dinanga found himself in a great position but he could only stroke the ball wide.

The chances were coming and going as Dinanga went inches away again, this time flicking a header onto the top of the crossbar.

But it wasn't just in the Bards box where the action was happening.

On 66 minutes a cross into the box evaded Hall and Callum Ebanks looked certain to score but his effort struck the bar.

Hall then produced a top save to keep out a Charlie Williams effort and despite some late pressure Wilkin's men held out for the points.