Tamworth 2 Telford 1 - Report and pictures

A milestone strike from Danny Glover, which was the Bucks' 700th league goal since formation in 2004, could not halt their early season woes.

Glover's 47th minute penalty, which was the Bucks' first of the season at the fourth attempt, temporarily raised hopes for the sizeable travelling army that made the trip to Staffordshire.

But Steve Kittrick's strugglers were left to ponder what might have been after Tamworth's Shane Clarke, who had opened the scoring in the first half, netted a winner on 69 minutes.

The Bucks started brightly enough and Sean Clancy was not far away with a half volley which drifted a few yards wide five minutes in.

The move had come following some slick build-up play down the right flank by full-back Izak Reid.

But the Bucks fell behind in very disappointing fashion just two minutes later, from Shane Clarke's close range finish.

Telford failed to deal with a simple throw-in into their box and Clarke found space to guide the ball home.

The home side should have been 2-0 up on nine minutes, but Elliott Durrell just fired over following a sharp turn on the edge of the box.

Telford, who were forced to replace the injured left-back Clancy with Kyle Brownhill on 14 minutes, continued to look vulnerable at the back.

But they grew in confidence going forward as the half reached the midway point, and Danny Glover almost levelled on 19 minutes.

Kaiman Anderson did well out on the right flank and his cut back was nudged into Glover's path.

The low drive which followed drew a superb save from Tamworth goalkeeper James Belshaw, who was at full stretch.

Reid then failed to work the goalkeeper from an inviting free-kick and Jack Roberts drilled wide from a tight angle.

But Danny Newton went close to a Tamworth second with a looping header from a corner-kick on 24 minutes.

The same player then failed to beat Bucks goalkeeper James Montgomery from 20 yards with a decent half volley.

Neither side create much in the following 10 minutes, but Stephen Tomassen struck the post for the home side with a vicious strike from 20 yards, which had Montgomery beaten on 41 minutes.

Telford should have scored their first goal of the season three minutes before half-time, though, from a superb cross by Amadou Bakayoko.

Glover, who had timed his run to the far post just right, somehow nodded just wide with the goal gaping.

Telford finished the first half strongly though and Jack Roberts almost levelled on 45 minutes, when he beat Belshaw to a lofted ball into the box.

His header just missed the target, with defender Andy Burns racing back to shepherd the ball out of play.

But the Bucks were back on level terms within two minutes of the re-start, when Glover fired home from the penalty spot.

Roberts had seen his low drive in the area blocked by a stray arm and Glover showed nerves of steel to score a high pressure kick.

Bakayoko almost put the visitors ahead a minute later but Belshaw saved superbly from his close range finish.

Suddenly it was Tamworth's turn to look nervous at the back, as the Bucks increased the pressure with a series of corner-kicks and crosses.

Anderson wasted a chance to heap further woe on Tamworth, though, when he fired an inviting cross behind with men waiting in the box on the hour.

Former Telford man Dan Preston should have put the home side back in front from a terrific free-kick a minute later, but slotted over from very close range.

Montgomery needed a strong hand to push a curling Newton effort away with 22 minutes remaining.

But he could not prevent Clarke drilling home his second goal of the night a minute later, after Telford's centre-halves failed to clear a cross into the box.

A driving run from Curtis Strong almost resulted in a third for the home side but Dyer couldn't quite reach his excellent centre.

It mattered not for the hosts though who held on comfortably to claim the three points.