AFC Telford make a point in Harrogate draw - analysis and pictures

It was as if Liam Watson's players could walk on water and run through walls on New Year's Day, after going top of the Skrill Conference North with a 5-3 win at home to Hednesford Town.

It was back down to earth with a bang, but not a crash, on Saturday against a Harrogate side who are more serious promotion contenders than their ninth place standing suggests.

After coming home with a share of the spoils rather than maximum gain, Telford had to concede top spot on goal difference to North Ferriby United, who won 1-0 at a falling-fast Hednesford.

But, make no bones about it, consider this a point gained rather than two dropped after the under-par Bucks, who looked jaded, came back from the brink to go six games unbeaten.

They simply cannot continue going around giving opposing team's a goal head start, but there's every reason to be pleased by the way they respond when they do so.

Watson's troops came from behind to net league points for the fifth game in a row and twice, this time, in a roller-coaster ride at Wetherby Road.

The Bucks trailed to Dave Merris' stoppage time rocket for the home side before the break, which looked to have settled matters until the 75th minute.

Mike Grogan bundled in an equaliser but parity lasted just four minutes, former Telford defender Shane Killock heading home Steve Mallory's cross for what looked like the winner.

But Watson's warriors don't admit defeat and took home a point from substitute Tony Gray's close-range finish, after Dan Preston had knocked the ball down into his path.

A fairly even first-half saw both sides appear destined to go in deadlocked at the break, but Telford goalkeeper Ryan Young was called into action with mere seconds on the clock.

Harrogate danger-man Mallory hit and hoped from outside of the area but the Bucks shot-stopper always had it covered, saving with his midriff and then claiming the ball comfortably.

A great passing move looked to have carved the home side open on 13 minutes when Adam Farrell, Russell Benjamin, Grogan and Charlie Barnett all combined to release Andy Owens.

He couldn't produce a finish to match the quality of the build-up play, though, as he went to place his effort and only succeeded it in putting it wide of the post.

Ex-Telford players nearly came back to haunt their former club in the 17th minute, with Dwayne Samuels' cross from the right headed wide by Killock. The warning went unheeded.

Harrogate were not practising what they preached, either, Grogan ghosting in to head Matthew McGinn's cross wide moments later.

Barnett's corner nearly flew straight into the net on 26 minutes, with goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray palming his delivery away from the net.

Owens was looking to make amends for his earlier miss and forced the best chance of the first-half for Telford a minute later.

His shot from outside of the area was flying into the top corner but MacGillivray again intervened, acrobatically palming his effort away from the goal.

Young was on hand to thwart Chris Hall on 34, snuffing out the danger with a save low to his right, after the Harrogate attacker had burst from the right channel.

McGinn's effort on goal was deflected wide four minutes later after the left wing opened up from him to shoot from 20 yards.

Cleveland Taylor looked odds-on to score for Harrogate four minutes before half-time, finding himself one-on-one with Young, defender Neill Byrne being nudged off the ball for a volley wide.

The Telford net was breached in first-half stoppage time when Merris hammered home, after the visitors had properly failed to clear their lines from a corner.

Byrne's defensive header dropped on the edge of the area and Merris had time to fire up a rocket that skidded across the turf and around the dive of Young, rippling into the left hand corner.

Wes Baynes went off with a groin injury for Telford at half-time, so winger Robbie Booth had to fill in at right-back for the second-half. It produced mixed results.

Harrogate stepped up the pressure after the break and could have added to their lead, as chances went begging for the home side.

But it was Telford who went for goal first on 47 minutes when Farrell wouldn't give up on a ball in the corner and managed to get it away to Mike Phenix, whose shot sailed over the woodwork.

It was the Bucks' defence that then opened up four minutes later for Mallory's ball forward which released Anton Brown to go one-on-one with Young, but he could only blaze over the bar.

On 55 minutes, Harrogate debutant Matthew Heath headed wide from Taylor's left-wing cross, before Hall's goal-bound effort was charged down by Preston from Mallory's delivery.

Gray was doing his best to influence play after replacing Phenix in the 58th minute, with Watson going to 4-3-3 in an effort to get back into the game.

Sean Clancy arrived with 20 minutes to with central midfielder Benjamin sacrificed, in what looked like the last roll of the dice for Watson.

But it was Grogan who restored parity, as the hosts lived to rue their wastefulness in front of goal, capitalising on a defensive mix-up in the box to turn and fire the ball home in the six-yard box.

Undeterred, Hall went close for the hosts after connecting with Brown's cross two minutes later, before Adam Nowakowski headed off the line from Barnett a minute after that.

On 79 minutes, Harrogate's quick-fire reply looked to have settled matters for good, another choice Mallory ball in touched past Young at his near post by Killock, after it had floated across the box.

Again, Telford replied to ensure they would not leave North Yorkshire empty-handed, Gray stabbing the ball home from Preston's assist in the 82nd minute.

They had a golden chance to win the game, too, with MacGillivray at full stretch to push away Matthew McGinn's goal-bound free kick with six minutes to go.

Young helped preserve a point after bravely saving at the feet of Jamal Smith in the 87th minute, after Booth got away with risking a penalty by muscling the Harrogate substitute off the ball.

In the end, you couldn't even say a draw was all that fair, considering the chances that were squandered by the hosts. But it's another game ticked off with something to show for it.

There wasn't the killer edge of the festive period, while defensive frailties shone bright on a winter's day. But the only constant is the character the players keep on producing. They just won't give up.

The tired and leggy troops now make their away to Aggborough – temporary home of Worcester City – tomorrow night up for it but, privately, desperate for a break.

After a trip to Altrincham on Saturday, they will have their first full week off match action since before Christmas. It could do them the power of good.

By Craig Birch