AFC Telford United 0-3 Southport - Report

The visitors, managed by former Bucks chief Liam Watson, scored three goals from three set-pieces, slowly strangling the life out of the home side.

The Bucks found Watson’s team, sixth in the Vanarama National League North table, a much tougher nut to crack than each of their last two home opponents.

Carden named an unchanged side from the team that drew 0-0 at Curzon Ashton, but the Bucks couldn’t extend their unbeaten run to four matches.

The Bucks were in the contest, but from a 33rd minute corner, Dylan Vassallo turned the ball home from close range, although the Bucks felt goalkeeper Russ Griffiths may have been impeded.

Port defender Doug Tharme spent a few weeks on loan to the Bucks from Wrexham in the 2019/20 season, and has revived his career with the Lancashire club, earning a move to Blackpool and then being loaned back. The Bucks might have wished he’d already joined the Seasiders, as he and captain Adam Anson kept Jason Oswell quiet all evening and Tharme popped up to power in a far post header in the 48th minute to double the lead.

Two goals adrift, the Bucks withdrew Brendon Daniels and Brayden Shaw to give youth a chance, in the shape of loanee Patrick Jarrett and Harry Bower. The pair tried to inject some life but the visitors remained dangerous on the counter-attack.

They killed the game in the 85th minute, when top scorer Jordan Archer met a left-wing corner to bear Griffiths at his near post.

Referee: Kristian Silcock.

Assistants: Harry Tarrant, Niall Smith.

Attendance: 931.

Telford: Griffiths, White, Streete, Bood, Piggott, Nolan, Ward (Wright 66), Goodridge, Daniels (Bower 54), Oswell, Shaw (Jarrett 54).

Subs not used: Baker.

Southport: Mason, Oliver, Doyle, Anson (c), Tharme, Woods (Benjamin 88), Munro, Archer, Walton (Buckley-Ricketts 90), Vassallo (Corrigan 90), Bainbridge.

Subs not used: McMillan.

Scorers: Vassallo (33), Tharme (48), Archer (85).

Cautioned: Walton.