Liam Watson jumps to AFC Telford's defence
AFC Telford United boss Liam Watson today defended his players after a calamitous display resulted in a club-record 6-1 defeat at Guiseley.
The second-placed Bucks were thrashed by the play-off chasing Lions last night, just hours after Watson had won the Manager of the Month award for March.
Watson's side missed the chance to go back to the top of the Skrill Conference North, too, after their 11-match unbeaten run was shot to pieces.
He said: "You can't legislate for some of the individual performances, but it's a game of football in the run-in and these things happen. There's always going to be twists and turns.
"I actually feel better about the situation now than I did before the game, when I felt quite anxious. Sometimes you do go with your gut instinct and I knew something was around the corner.
"Football is a team game, there shouldn't be individual awards. It's a collective group and it's the players who have done it. There's a curse to it, allegedly. If that's true, it well and truly struck!
"There were a lot of people with their heads in hands after the game, but it's only the sixth game we have lost this season.
"We have just had seven wins and then a good point down at Leamington, then that happens. But the lads have given me everything all season.
"If that means I have to defend them, I have every right to because they have done fantastic."
Telford when and truly collapsed after Gavin Rothery's penalty made it 3-0 three minutes into the second-half, after goals from him and Danny Ellis before the break.
Referee Andrew Miller adjudged Mike Grogan had pulled Wayne Brooksby's shirt for the spot kick and Adam Boyes made it 4-0, before substitute Mike Phenix's lone reply and Alex Johnson's double.
Watson said: "The first goal is a calamity between Ryan Young and Neill Byrne, then Wes Baynes has been done twice, either side of another error from 'Byrney.' But there were errors all over the pitch.
"Wes has had his worst game of the season but, for most of it, he's been as steady as anyone. He's just had a bad night.
"Mike Grogan had, for me, his worst performance in a Telford shirt but the referee has killed us with the most bizarre penalty decision I have ever seen. One or two of them looked jaded.
"We tried to set ourselves up in the second-half to get back in the game and it was always going to leave us open. But I can't make excuses when we have been beaten 6-1."
