AFC Telford 2 Spennymoor 1 - Report and pictures

The attacking midfielder curled a superb shot into the corner of the net from the edge of the box on the hour mark, after Spennymoor had levelled following a first half spot kick.

Man of the moment Brendon Daniels had already threatened, before he danced into the area and was upended.

He got up to smash home a penalty, before his rasping free kick was spilled and turned home by Daniel Udoh, but the offside flag was raised.

Telford dominated the first half, but the first 20 minutes of the second period were a different story.

Spennymoor, just a place below the Bucks at the start of the day, levelled ten minutes into the half through Glen Taylor.

But the goal sparked Telford back into life, and Knights curled them into the lead.

A couple of half chances came and went, but manager Gavin Cowan made some neat tactical changes and his side kept their heads to secure the points.

Surprisingly despite three straight wins over Christmas, Gavin Cowan rung the changes for this one, five in total.

Andy Wycherley and Dom Smith will have felt aggrieved to be replaced by new loanee Josef Bursik and captain Shane Sutton.

Jon Royle and Ryan Barnett also made way for James McQuilkin and Henry Cowans.

Arguably one of the biggest surprises was Amari Morgan-Smith being left out, after he had bagged a brace just a week ago against Leamington.

But the Bucks fans were chomping at the bit to see their new, but well known signing, Marcus Dinanga who arrived from Burton Albion on Friday.

The home side began on the front foot, but it was the Moors who had the best early chance as leading marksman Taylor dragged a shot wide from a corner just four minutes in.

New boy Dinanga showed the supporters what they had been missing just ten minutes in, taking down a high ball, flooring two defenders with a turn before another player got back to clear.

Mark Anderson's deft chip on 11 minutes almost gave his side the lead, before the wide man curled a free kick inches wide of Bursik's post.

Then came the home sides first real chance of the game, as a through ball sent Daniel Udoh clear who was denied by the feet of keeper Matthew Gould.

Both sides showed in the opening quarter of the game why they are vying for a place in the National League North play offs.

Telford would enjoy a spell on top, then Spennymoor would reply with a counter punch of their own by going on the offensive, and looked impressive when they did so.

They couldn't fend off the advances of the Bucks on 27 minutes though, as Daniels' kick feet were just too quick for former Buck Jacob Hibbs.

Daniels drove into the left side of the box, dropped in a trick and the full back caught him with the referee pointing to the spot.

At the moment you could be forgiven for thinking there was a schoolboy football strategy behind the penalty takers, of whoever makes it takes it.

Last week Morgan-Smith went down, picked himself up and lashed it home, and Daniels did the same this week.

He powered his spot kick past Gould and it was as good a penalty as you'll see.

After a back and forth opening half hour the Bucks were now the side in the ascendancy as Sutton headed over.

Then ten minutes before the break Cowan's men had the ball in the net for a second time.

Daniels' rasping free kick was too hot for Gould to handle, and Udoh was there to turn in the re-bound, but the assistant referee's flag was sharply raised for offside.

The goal had got the Bucks tails up, and Udoh was inches away from grabbing a second on the stroke of half time as he rifled an effort into the side netting.

It was a stark contract at the start of the second period, with the Moors enjoying being on the front foot.

Bursik was called into action for the first time to gather a dangerous Adam Boyes cross, with Andrew Johnson dragging a shot wide following a neat counter attack.

They kept the pressure on, and get their just reward only 11 minutes into the half.

Cowans was forced into a silly error on the half line, as his pass was dispossessed allowing the Moors to break.

Anderson found 17 goal striker Taylor, and he lifted the ball over Bursik to make it 18 for the campaign.

The visitors could sense a second, and if it wasn't for Ross White's last ditch defending they would have got one.

A cross found the advanced left back Stephen Brogan, who beat one man before his deflected shot looped up, but was he denied by White on the line.

Seconds later the Bucks, who had not had a sniff of a chance on the second period, should have gone ahead.

Cowans' cross found Daniels unmarked at the back post, but he blazed a volley into the David Hutchinson stand.

The next attack though, and the Bucks had restored their lead.

The ball fell to Knights on the edge of the box, and he curled a shot beyond Gould and into the corner of the net.

That was the least the Bucks deserved from the half.

They hadn't been lacklustre, it just seemed as if the Moors had reacted to a half time team talk and had began to play.

Dinanga was hooked off on the hour mark, nothing spectacular from the new man on his second debut.

But his contribution certainly gives Cowan an attacking headache in the weeks to come.

The goal that got their noses in front had settled the Bucks in the second period.

Morgan-Smith, who replaced Dinanga, saw an effort rise over the bar just moments after coming on.

Jon Royle was the second change for Knights, and was an indication of 'we hold what we have', from the Bucks.

Since the Bucks second, Spennymoor had hardly troubled going forward but Bursik produced a top class save eight minutes from time to keep his side in front.

A cross was met with a stinging half volley from Taylor, with the on loan Stoke stopper getting down to push the strike to safety.

Spennymoor threatened with a couple of late moves, but it was nothing the Bucks couldn't handle.

Key Moments

27 - GOAL - Daniels drives his way into the area, sells a trick to Hibbs who buys it and catches the winger. The referee points to the spot, and the wide man picks himself up to hammer home the spot kick.

35 - DISALLOWED GOAL - Telford have the ball in the net for a second time but the assistant referee has other ideas. Daniels' free kick was too much for Gould to gather, and Udoh turns in the bits. Flag is up for offside though.

56 - GOAL - Spennymoor begin the second period on the front foot, and they take the lead. Cowans gives the ball away and the visitors break. Anderson slips in Taylor and he lifts the ball over Bursik.

63 - CHANCE - Should be the lead for the Bucks again. Cowans' cross finds Daniels unmarked at the back post. He could have took a touch, but instead blazes a first time volley over.

64 - GOAL - Not long to wait for another chance, a tougher one but it ends up in the back of the net. Knights picks it up on the edge of the box and curls an effort beyond Gould in the Spennymoor goal.

82 - SAVE - First save from Bursik as he gets down to push a fierce Taylor volley away.

Teams

AFC Telford United (3-5-2) - Bursik, White, Deeney, McQuilkin, Sutton, Streete, Cowans, Daniels (Morley 85), Dinanga (Morgan-Smith 61), Udoh, Knights (Royle 74)

Subs not used - Barnett, Brown

Spennymoor (4-2-3-1) - Gould, Hibbs (Williams 46), Brogan, Chandler, Atkinson, Curtis, Johnson (Tuton 74), Henry, Taylor, Boyes, Anderson (Kemspter 74)

Subs not used - Thackray, Hall, Williams

Attendance - 1,205

Referee - David McNamara