AFC Telford United 0-1 Guiseley – report and pictures

The visitors’ Josh Stones headed in with five minutes left as a confidence-sapped Bucks were undone on a very edgy evening in Telford.

The festive contest was billed as a huge opportunity to collect a priceless win in Paul Carden’s side’s bid to escape National League North relegation fears.

But, with both sides looking set for a point on a low-quality evening, there was to be a late sting in the tail for the Bucks – who have just one league win in 15 – and are bottom at Christmas.

Carden named his deputy Carl Baker in a matchday squad for the first time since taking over. Baker, 38, came into the starting midfield and caught the eye as one of the game’s classy performers.

He had been a regular at step three Nuneaton before joining the Bucks, where he had five goals.

Brendon Daniels started in the league for the first time in over a year after his FA Trophy return on Saturday.

Elliott Durrell was again missing after it was made clear by Carden he was no longer in the boss’ plans.

Telford went close early on as Albion loan defender Saul Shotton header from a Brendon Daniels’ free-kick flicked the crossbar on its way over.

Bucks goalkeeper Ted Cann, whose loan had been extended by a month, survived a scare as he handled outside his box, but the free-kick came to little.

Baker began to catch the eye with his quality on the ball in a contest otherwise lacking in confidence.

The hosts wobbled at the back at times, with Theo Streete exposed on a couple of occasions, but Guiseley’s final touch was lacking.

Guiseley took charge around half hour as forward Stones flashed wide from the edge of the box.

Theo Streete made a big block to stop Ollie Brown’s shot before Jamie Spencer forced Cann to tip over from the game’s first effort on target after 38 minutes.

Guiseley’s Nigerian midfielder Prince Ekpolo crashed the crossbar with a thumping half-volley from outside the box that left the woodwork shaking.

The Bucks looked rejuvenated after the restart as Oswell flicked Daniels’ corner wide but clear-cut chances were still few and far between.

Defender Zak Lilly thundered a left-footed strike narrowly wide from 30 yards after the hour.

Cann got away with one after missing a corner, from which away skipper Hamza Bencherif saw his goalbound header cleared.

The keeper redeemed himself, however, with a big one-on-one stop from Stones 15 minutes from time, but could do nothing about Stones’ powerful header five minutes from the death that left home fans in dismay.