Telford 2 Blyth Spartans 3 - Report and pictures

It was very much a game of two halves at the New Bucks Head.

In the first half, the Bucks were awful and the visitors knocked the stuffing out of them with a quickfire treble - Robert Dale, Daniel Maguire and Dale Hopson (via the penalty spot) getting the goals.

In the second, Rob Edwards' side were much improved. They had Marcus Dinanga and Elliot Newby find the net but, despite going close on a couple of occasions, could not find a leveller.

The result means Telford have lost all four of their home games in the National League North so far this season.

Analysis

The two sides went into this clash with the same league record - three wins and four losses.

Telford stuck with the 11 that started the 3-0 victory at Leamington on Monday, with the pacy pair of Anthony Dwyer and Dinanga leading the line.

There was one change to the substitutes bench as John Marsden, who missed the three games prior with an ankle injury, came in for Matthew Barnes-Homer.

Having made a 250-mile trip down from Northumberland, Blyth could have started a little sluggishly - but they did not.

They were playing a lot of short, sharp passes and had the lion's share of possession in the opening exchanges.

The Bucks, though, almost took the lead against the run of play 12 minutes in as Dwyer's sweet strike was tipped wide by away goalkeeper Peter Jameson.

Dinanga tried his luck several minutes later as well, beating his marker with some fancy footwork before his left-footed shot was gathered by Jameson.

Telford were then forced into an early change, with Aaron Simpson picking up a knock and being replaced by Hayden.

And they fell apart shortly after that substitution, conceding three goals in the space of just eight minutes.

The first came in the 28th minute. A routine straight from the training ground saw a corner played low to Blyth skipper Dale, who sweetly curled the ball in from the edge of the box.

Two minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead. Jarrett Rivers found space on the right hand side and fired the ball across goal for Maguire to finish from a few yards out.

And then the Bucks really shot themselves in the foot. Hayden, who looked shaky from the moment he stepped onto the pitch, stupidly gave away a penalty as he pulled down Maguire.

Dale Hopson stepped up the spot for Blyth and emphatically struck the ball past a despairing Jas Singh - 36 minutes in.

Edwards made another switch before the interval, bringing on Marsden for Curtis Strong, and went from a 3-5-2 formation to a 4-4-2 in an attempt to avoid further embarrassment.

They managed to not let in another before the break, when a fair few Telford fans decided to go home.

The Bucks came out for the second half later than the away side, after a suspected hairdryer treatment from Edwards, and started playing at a higher tempo.

Dwyer twice went close to pulling one back, having a low drive saved and a deflected shot smack the post. Dinanga hit the side netting soon after too.

The hosts kept trying and trying, and got a goal in the 65th minute via the head of Dinanga after Newby's free-kick.

Marsden looked sharp after coming on, finding pockets of space and being tidy in possession.

Will Marsh was also introduced, to try to add more creativity in the middle of the park.

Telford carried on threatening and drew a huge roar from the home faithful as they scored another in the 78th minute.

From left to right, Dwyer superbly played it into the box for Newby to tap in.

A spectacular equaliser, though, proved elusive. The Bucks' performance in the second period was very good, but the first half horror show left them with just too much to do.

Key moments

12 - A nice try from Telford striker Anthony Dwyer. His strike from 25 yards out forces Blyth goalkeeper Peter Jameson to get down quickly and tip the ball around the post for a corner, which nothing comes from.

21 - The Bucks are forced into a change. Aaron Simpson has picked up a knock and Aaron Hayden is coming on.

28 - Goal! The visitors take the lead with a routine worked on in training. A corner is played low to Robert Dale on the edge of the box and he curls the ball into the far corner.

30 - Goal! Blyth double their advantage. The ball is played wide to Jarrett Rivers, who strikes it low across goal for Daniel Maguire to poke in from a few yards out. So easy for the away side.

35 - Penalty to Blyth. Hayden loses the ball and, in a moment of madness, then decides to hack down Maguire in the area.

36 - Goal! Dale Hopson makes no mistake from the spot, smashing the ball into the bottom corner.

54 - Telford come very close to pulling one back. Dwyer's deflected strike hits the inside of the post and then goes away from danger.

65 - Goal! A decent spell of pressure from the hosts brings a goal. Dinanga escapes his marker to head in after Elliot Newby's free-kick from the right.

78 - Goal! Telford are well back in this now. A sublime cross from the left goes across the face of goal to Newby, who fires in at the back post.

Teams

Telford (3-5-2): Singh; White, Sutton (c), Gough; Simpson (Hayden, 21), Lussey, Royle (Marsh, 63), Newby, Strong (Marsden, 41); Dwyer, Dinanga

Subs not used: McGrory, Martinez (gk)

Blyth (4-4-2): Jameson; Horner, Buddle, Hutchinson, Watson; Rivers, Reid, McTiernan (Mullen, 66), Hopson; Maguire (Langstaff, 89), Dale (c)

Subs not used: Liddle, Wrighton, MacDonald (gk)

Man of the match

Marcus Dinanga: He was always a threat with his pace up front and got a goal. he linked up really well with Anthony Dwyer and that was his third strike since joining on loan from Burton Albion. 7/10