Telford 2 Tamworth 0 - Report and pictures

The attacking midfielder had missed the last four games with an ankle knock but it was his sweetly-struck goal in the second half that gave Rob Edwards' team the lead.

Elliot Newby, who was a threat down the left all night, made sure of the points in the 89th minute after Telford capitalised on a Tamworth error at the back.

The Bucks rode their luck at times, particularly near the end when Tamworth hit the post twice in a row with the score at 1-0, and it took the hosts a while to grow into the game.

But the welcome win has moved them up into 12th place of National League North and just four points off the play-off spots.

Telford started the night 16th, five points behind their visitors. Defender Ross White was brought back into the side following suspension and No.10 Marsden returned from injury as Edwards returned to the wing-back system he preferred near the start of the season.

Neither team managed to get a foothold during an energetic start, but Bucks keeper Jasbir Singh had to have his wits about him six minutes in when Tamworth midfielder Aman Verma caught a first-time volley sweetly after the ball had looped high in the air.

Telford were guilty of going long too often, and overhitting their balls forward, whereas Tamworth started to get the ball down and play.

A quarter of an hour in, Burton Albion loanee Ben Fox worked himself some space on the edge of the box with a neat stepover before whistling a warning shot a foot wide of Singh's post.

Five minutes later, a gorgeous ball from the outside boot of Ellis Deeney - brother of Watford striker Troy - put Callum Powell through on goal, but his shot was straight at Singh and Telford escaped once more.

The hosts were struggling to get out of their half, and on the rare occasion they did manage to string two passes together, their final ball let them down as the home crowd grew more and more infuriated.

But they were nearly gifted a goal 25 minutes in when Shaun Rowley miscontrolled a backpass, but the Tamworth keeper recovered in time to hack the ball off the line.

And that seemed to wake up the hosts, who finally mustered their first shot of the game on the half-hour mark when Max Leonard's effort dribbled wide.

Elliot Newby started to threaten down the left as Telford enjoyed more of the ball and grew in confidence.

A deep free-kick was headed goalwards by White before Marsden lashed a long-range effort just wide of Rowley's post.

Striker Marcus Dinanga then wasted a great opportunity to send Newby clear after some impressive hold up play, but he couldn't pick his pass with the winger rushing past him.

By the end of the half, Telford had dragged themselves up to Tamworth's level, but it was the visitors in all-yellow who started the second half on top, much like the first.

A swift Tamworth counter-attack saw Fox break away and find Darryl Knights on the wing before his cross was well controlled by Powell at the far post.

The diminutive striker chested the ball back inside but his shot was well blocked.

Female referee Amy Fearn booked Deeney for a late lunge on Newby and the lengthy stoppage in play while she spoke to the Tamworth midfielder allowed Telford to regroup.

But in truth, their goal on the hour mark came out of nowhere, and it's unlikely Marsden will ever hit a sweeter shot.

The attacking midfielder, who has missed the last four games with an ankle injury, connected perfectly with the ball from 30 yards out and Rowley could do nothing to stop the vicious outswinger finding his top right corner.

That goal filled the home side with confidence, and soon after Wolves loanee Connor Johnson nearly made it two with a glancing header that drifted just wide of Rowley's post.

But Tamworth responded, and carved out a decent chance when Deeney sent Knights clear in the 73rd minute, , but the winger shot straight at Singh.

The Telford keeper safely gathered Verma's headed effort from a corner too a couple of minutes later as the visitors started to ramp up the pressure.

And then, 13 minutes from time, they somehow managed to hit the post twice in a row.

Powell's cross-cum-shot bamboozled everyone in the box before striking the back post and popping out to Jack Lane two yards out with the goal gaping.

Lane had to adjust his body quickly but he managed to divert it goalwards, only to see it hit the same post and go wide.

Edwards shored up the defence with Aaron Hayden soon after, bringing the big centre-back on for striker Marcus Dinanga in an effort to hold out for the win.

But Tamworth gifted Telford a second goal in the 89th minute, when they were caught on the ball trying to play a goal-kick out of defence.

Jordan Lussey knicked it, before laying off Newby, who swept the ball home to ensure the Bucks would keep all three points.

Telford (3-5-2): Singh, White, Sutton, Johnson, Simpson, Lussey, Cowans, Leonard (Dwyer 55), Newby, Marsden (Murphy 90), Dinanga (Hayden 79). Subs: Martinez, Barnes-Homer.

Tamworth FC: Rowley, Burns, Jones, Lane, Morley, Upton (Reid 83), Deeney, Verman, Knights, Fox, Powell. Subs: Taylor, Shaw, Hayden, Coulson.

Referee: Amy Fearn

Attendance: 747