AFC Telford United bag a useful point on the road

AFC Telford United saw their bid for a third consecutive National North victory halted as they were held to a goalless draw away at Harborough Town's Bowden Park on Saturday afternoon.

Bucks boss Kevin Wilkin made one enforced change to the starting XI that defeated league leaders Oxford City. Goalkeeper Lewys Benjamin suffered an injury in training with parent club Wolverhampton Wanderers, meaning a recall for Brandon Hall.

The Bucks started brightly and created the better early opportunities in testing, windy conditions.

Remi Walker tested the home keeper Elliot Taylor with a long-range effort in the eight minute, but possibly their best chance of the half arrived on 28 minutes when Mal Benning unleashed a rocket from outside the penalty area that flew agonisingly wide of the top left corner.

Walker also went close with a direct free-kick from 35 yards that sailed narrowly over the crossbar.

At the other end, Hall was called into action just before the break, palming a George Carline header up and over the crossbar to concede a corner, before dealing with the resulting kick.

The Bucks continued to threaten after the restart, with a promising move seeing Matty Stenson deliver a dangerous cross that Louis Moult and Dylan Mitchell narrowly failed to convert.

Mitchell then went close on 71 minutes, twisting past defenders inside the box only to see his effort well saved by the home keeper's feet.

The best chance of the match fell to Telford in the 73rd minute when Bennin's free-kick found Orrin Pendley, whose knock-down was struck goalwards by Moult but brilliantly kept out on the line by the Bees.

Harborough grew into the contest as the game wore on, with Sam Osborne firing two efforts close to Hall’s goal as the Bees started to buzz.

They began to use the wind at their backs to put Telford under more sustained pressure, and the back line of Oli Cawthorne, Zak Lilly and Pendley stood firm.

Hall was called upon again to make several saves that could be regarded as comfortable, but required concentration to be maintained as the Bees pushed for what would have been an undeserved winner.

However, a resolute Telford defence held firm through four minutes of stoppage time to secure a point on the road.

AFC Telford United (4-3-3): Hall, Curley, Benning, Pendley, Lilly, Cawthorne, Fletcher, Mitchell, Walker, Stenson, Moult (Ryley 80). Unused subs: Williams, McLintock, Owen, Lambert.

Harborough Town: Taylor, Carline, Putman, McAulay, Morris, Kelly-Evans, Kennedy (Jacobs 76), Osborne (Walsh 70), Mancinelli, O’Sullivan(Malone 83), Powell. Unused subs: Bello, Burgess, Arlott-John, Newton.