AFC Telford look sharp after weekend break - match analysis and pictures

And it was arguably their best performance of the season on Saturday. The sort that champions put in over the course of a title-winning season.

Some might say the Bucks actually performed better at Boston United in game two, but whatever they did that night was matched by the Pilgrims in an entertaining 1-1 draw.

But to come in cold from a two-week enforced break and beat the team second in the league in front of an expectant home crowd was certainly impressive.

There was no doubting they deserved the win, too, although most of North Ferriby will point to the sending off two minutes before the break as a turning point.

But that was warranted, as well, with Chris Lever rattled so bad by Nathan Jarman's lunge that he had to be substituted.

Jarman headed down the tunnel soon after. The only mystery to a lot of the home faithful was that it wasn't a straight red card rather than a second booking.

It did come after a period of pressure from the home side who, no doubt at the insistence of manager Liam Watson, upped the pressure after the break and Ferriby duly crumbled.

The first half had ebbed and flowed, with Telford all-too-keen to attack at every opportunity as they ran at the visitors in search of a breakthrough during the Skrill Conference North fixture.

Tony Gray had signalled his – and Telford's intent after just four minutes when his free-kick sailed narrowly over the bar.

Eight minutes in, Mike Grogan also tried his luck from distance and was a good 25 yards out when he went for goal. Again, his shot just missed the target and dipped over.

Sean Cooke was at the hub of everything Telford were creating but nearly got on the end of Andy Owens' pass on 14 minutes. Only a tackle from defender Liam King saved Ferriby.

Five minutes later, Gray pinged the ball out on the left to Lever, who put an inviting ball in but the head it fell to was Ferriby's Matt Wilson, who nodded the ball behind to safety.

A sign of things to come in the 21st minute saw Jarman recklessly challenge Cooke, who headed off but was able to continue. Lever wasn't so lucky.

Wilson and King then combined three minutes later and the latter really should have scored, his shot missing the net by mere inches.

On 35 minutes, Jamie Yates dithered on the ball and was robbed by Gray who bombed forward, but the end product was tame and goalkeeper Adam Nicklin gathered easily.

Cooke went into referee Paul Graham's book after leaving his foot in a challenge on Wilson, but a far more decisive yellow card was to follow three minutes later.

Ferriby's task was made so much harder with the dismissal of top scorer Jarman, who could have no complaints after already picking up a booking for dissent on 22.

With just two minutes to go until the break, a horrendous tackle on Lever saw Jarman get his marching orders. The Telford left-back had to be replaced by Matty McGinn as a result.

It played into Telford's hands after the break and Owens, who did everything apart from score, went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock with the second half just two minutes old.

Russell Benjamin looked up and played the ball into his feet and Owens span his marker to create room to shoot, but his powerful low drive flashed just past the post.

In the 51st minute, substitute McGinn went for goal but only managed to fell Ferriby defender Gregg Anderson, who was nearly taken off his feet when the ball cannoned off his head.

It all came to pass in the 54th minute when the first goal went in, although it could have just as easily been Ferriby who took the lead rather than Telford.

King picked out an unmarked Anderson who had time to direct his header but didn't even manage to get his effort on target, the ball dropping over the bar.

It would prove costly for the visitors seconds later.

Telford raced up the other end and decisive action from Gray broke the deadlock and handed the home side the lead.

Gray picked the ball up on the left and invited defenders into his path as he bombed into the box, turning to bamboozle everyone and loft the ball into Nicklin's far corner.

They could have made it 2-0 in the 64th minute when Owens picked a across the box but Mike Phenix arrived just a fraction too late, the ball running free to safety.

The Telford substitute would get another chance and it was just as well after Benjamin's shot went over in the 68th minute, set up by another lay-off by the impressive Owens.

A third Telford player ended up on the floor with 11 minutes left with Gray going down under pressure from Nathan Peat, only for the Bucks striker to be booked for diving.

At 1-0, the match was still on a knife edge and the hosts badly needed the second goal to come, which finally occurred with eight minutes to go.

Phenix, on for Cooke, had time and space to slot low under Nicklin after being found by fellow substitute Farrell, who was put into space by Owens.

That was that for Telford and made it three clean sheets in a row with back-to-back victories, their win at Histon coming two weeks previously.

Now it's another fortnight out of action before they head to beleaguered Stockport County. A break did the power of good this time, will it do so again at Edgeley Park?