AFC Telford improved but still beaten by Cambridge
Played three, lost three. AFC Telford United's seasonal record against Cambridge United speaks for itself.
Played three, lost three. AFC Telford United's seasonal record against Cambridge United speaks for itself.
The Bucks could rightly feel aggrieved by the referee and linesmen on Saturday – and the goal on the stroke of half-time certainly came after what looked like a bungled piece of officiating.
Telford could take positives from this game – the impression made by giant centre-back Ben Futcher on debut and the largely more assured defensive display that followed after last week's problems being the chief among them.
See more pictures from Telford's defeat against Cambridge
But Cambridge always seemed to have that little extra bit of quality and, even when Telford got back on level terms, were able to react almost instantly.
Four of Telford's starting line-up have signed during the transfer window and two more, Jay Smith and Ashley Cain, have made loan moves permanent this month.
Boss Andy Sinton promised changes during January and boy, has he delivered.
Bar a win over struggling Kettering, results have not yet followed, but the signs are that they are making progress.
Certainly, the Telford of a month or two earlier would very probably have been two or three down by half-time.
The U's enjoyed a 20-minute spell of sustained pressure but found Futcher and Chris Blackburn – another of the recent arrivals – a difficult barrier to breach.
Blackburn typified the determination to keep the visitors at bay with one sensational goal-line clearance to deny Michael Gash after Cambridge had engineered an opening with a slick passing move.
Even when the back four were breached, Ryan Young was not about to give away soft goals on his 250th appearance – and he made one super save to deny Luke Berry.
At the other end, Kyle Perry came closest for the Bucks with a shot from a narrow angle that forced a decent stop out of visiting keeper Daniel Naisbitt.
The hosts would have been happy to go in goalless at the break but their hopes were dashed in the third minute of stoppage time.
There seemed no danger when Ryan Young gathered a ball from the right but the official then flagged for a goal kick before appearing to change his mind seconds later and indicate a corner.
Angry Telford were perhaps guilty of dwelling on that puzzling decision and had only themselves to blame as Kevin Roberts ghosted in unchallenged to divert Berry's corner into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.
The hosts showed character to respond to that setback in the second half and drew themselves level on 53 minutes with what was a goal of real quality.
It was Will Salmon, impressive all afternoon, who delivered a marvellous cross from the right wing and striker Chris Sharp made the most of it, hitting a low shot on the volley that found the bottom corner off the first bounce.
Having worked so hard to get back on level terms though, Telford were able to enjoy parity for less than three minutes.
Cambridge restored their lead as a ball into the box found Tom Shaw.
He pivoted around his marker and bent a sweet strike beyond Young into the far corner.
The visitors actually offered little after that but Telford never quite looked like breaking them down.
Perry was within inches of converting another telling cross from Salmon and substitute Nathan Rooney also had two late sights of goal.
Rooney's first chance was a particularly inviting one but, after being teed up by a cushioned header from Perry, he could only lift his shot high over the bar.
Chris Hudson
