"I think it's a highly dubious first goal" - AFC Telford United's away-day blues continue
A familiar failing surfaced as AFC Telford United slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Marine, leaving manager Kevin Wilkin reflecting on an away record that is becoming his team's Achilles' heel, writes Rich Worton.
The Bucks led 1-0 at half-time through Ammar Dyer's first goal for the club, but two goals in three minutes from striker George Newell turned the game on its head in the second half, a blow the Bucks couldn't recover from, and Wilkin acknowledged his team had wilted when things went against them.
"Yeah, I think we've done well in the first half," he said. "All the bits and pieces that we spoke about were evident. We did great to get ourselves into the lead and never really looked in too much danger to that point, but I'd be disappointed with the way that we came out in the second period.
"We've got kind of drawn into the game that Marine want and credit to them, they've kept going and they've put us on the back foot in the second period."
Newell's quickfire double came from two contested moments: an offside call and a free-kick against the Bucks, leading to goals as Marine, managed by former Shrewsbury Town striker Bobby Grant, upset the Bucks' composure and knocked them out of their stride.
Wilkin added: "We haven't recognised certain moments where we can manage the game better, and there were little bits of quality that were astray that haven't been evident.
"I just think you've got to manage the ball better against a side that's in pretty decent form at the moment. We've not worked hard enough to manage the ball, compete, and do those nasty bits when you have to, and haven't played in the right area, to be honest with you.
"We've got to turn them around a little bit more and get more down the sides of them, and we haven't asked enough questions."
Newell, son of former Blackburn and Everton striker Mike Newell, profited from what Wilkin felt was an officiating error to level in the 61st minute, and the Bucks compounded that by allowing Newell to direct Fin Sinclair-Smith's free-kick past debutant keeper Harvey Randle in front of a passionate Merseyside crowd.
"I think it's a highly dubious first goal that's given them the encouragement at the wrong time for us, and then giving away a quick free-kick to let them put the ball on us," said Wilkin. "We knew they were fairly strong in restart moments. Harvey doesn't have any chance with the goal.
"It's in off the post, miles away from him, and we went through a difficult period there for 10 to 15 minutes and never really managed the game to the level that I know we're capable of, and certainly not as well as we did in the first half."
