AFC Telford United 1-1 Gateshead - Report

They are becoming harder to beat, and with a little more composure could have been on course for a notable victory over champions-elect Gateshead.

The Bucks had received a setback with news that an injury to left-back Brad Bood will keep him out of action for longer than anticipated. Carden moved to cover his absence by drafting in Ryan Burke from Mansfield Town on a month’s loan, and he made a fine debut.

Gateshead, whose player-manager is former Wolves and Newcastle defender Mike Williamson are, in Carden’s words “the best team in the division”. The Bucks would have been aware they’d likely spend long spells without the ball, but they started the game positively.

After just five minutes, Brendon Daniels had optimistic appeals for a penalty turned away when he controlled Byron Moore’s cross on his chest but went to ground before he could get a shot away.

The visitors Adam Campbell went close soon after, taking control of a ball headed infield to him and striking a dipping shot that passed narrowly wide of Luke Pilling’s far post; however, the Bucks were about to take the lead, aided by an error by the visitors.

Defender Louis Storey had been named as a substitute but started the game after Carl Magnay withdrew from the side after the pre-match warm-ups. Storey’s header back to his goalkeeper Filip Marschall in the 14th minute didn’t reach the keeper, leaving him stranded. Moore read the situation, sped past Marschall and although forced wide was able to turn the ball into the empty net from an acute angle.

The Heed looked for an immediate response, but influential captain Greg Olley cleared the crossbar with an angled shot when Jordan Piggott’s block on Cedwynn Scott’s cross teed up the Heed midfielder.

Just beyond the half-way point of the half, Pilling was called into action, diving to his left to push Danny Greenfield’s well-struck 25-yard effort away from goal. The visitors weren’t carving out the sort of clear chances that saw them defeat the Bucks 4-1 in January’s away fixture, and from a half-chance Campbell snatched at a shot, firing the ball across the face of goal and wide of Pilling’s far post.

Carden’s Bucks were doggedly sticking to their task, and having repelled Gateshead’s best efforts they had one of their own; however, Mace Goodridge was unable to do much more than poke an effort wide on the turn when Theo Streete’s header from a free-kick fell to him.

As half-time approached, Daniels tested Marschall with a low shot from 20 yards, and Pilling saved well at his near post as a swift Heed counter-attack led to Macaulay Langstaff directing a shot on goal from a low, right-wing cross. Pilling then denied Langstaff for a second time, as the marksman, one of the league’s leading scorers, swivelled onto a dropping ball inside the penalty area.

Although ahead at the interval, the prevailing feeling was that the Bucks would face a sterner examination in the second half; however, they had opportunities early in the second half to establish clear daylight over the Heed.

Keaton Ward set the tone in the opening minute, firing a shot wide from distance, and in the next attack Jason Oswell headed a left-wing cross narrowly over Marschall’s crossbar.

Goodridge then forced a corner, and although Daniels’ delivery begged for a touch as it passed low through the six-yard box, no-one in white could apply the coup de grace.

The two clearest opportunities were about to arrive, both in quick succession, and both to Oswell. First, the no.9 struck the side netting with a rising effort when getting in behind the Gateshead defence on the left. Five minutes later, Oswell snatched at his shot for a second time, putting the ball wide when only the onrushing Marschall stood between him and the goal.

Given their league position, the Bucks really needed to put their opponents to the sword, and there was perhaps some inevitability that they would pay for their profligacy. Gateshead began to find more spaces to open the Bucks defence, perhaps as the Bucks energy levels dipped a little, but the goal when it arrived was a simple one.

A corner awarded after Pilling had turned away a low shot was met from the right quadrant by the head of Owen Bailey, ghosting in to direct a powerful effort past Pilling at close range.

The Bucks’ dismay at conceding, especially from a set-piece, was matched by a renewed sense of hope for the visitors. Their patience and belief in their method had paid off, and they went looking for a second goal.

Campbell took the ball down and released a snap-shot on goal from 25 yards that Pilling had to turn away for a corner, and from the resulting kick Bailey was again on the end of it, but this time his header cleared the crossbar.

From another corner, Olley fizzed a cross-shot through the six-yard box and wide of the far post, and Carden sought to reinforce his defence by withdrawing Daniels for defender Zak Lilly, recovered from injury.

The Heed’s pressure won them a number of corners, from which they were unable to take full advantage, and Keaton Ward received the game’s only booking for a clear foul on Olley to stop the Gateshead man launching another late attack.

In the final minute of normal time, Gateshead claimed a penalty when Theo Streete grabbed at Scott as he tried to burrow towards goal; however, despite Olley dropping to his knees, almost in prayer, for the call to go his way, referee Ritchie Watkins adjudged the foul to have taken place inches outside the box. Bucks’ fans must have been dreading the final act, but Bailey’s free-kick instead raised ironic cheers as he cleared the defensive wall and crossbar, his shot hitting the rafters in the stand.

The Bucks had one late opportunity, when awarded a free-kick at the corner flag after substitute Andre Wright was literally flung off the ball, but it came to nothing.

A point against a side that many believe will be crowned champions is not to be sniffed at, and the Bucks now have two further home games in a week in which to try and build something solid on the foundations they’ve laid under Carden. Time isn’t on their side, and some crucial games remain, but the Bucks appear in better shape for those contests, ones likely to decide their destiny.

Referee: Ritchie Watkins.

Assistants: Matt Archibald, Aran Hodgkinson.

Attendance: 1,207.

Telford: Pilling, Melhado, Burke, Streete, Piggott, Nolan, Ward, Goodridge, Daniels (Lilly 76), Oswell, Moore (Wright 85).

Subs not used: Baker, Sherif.

Cautioned: Ward.

Gateshead: Marschall, Tinkler, Storey, Nicholson, Jacobs (Charters 64), Greenfield (Ward 80), Bailey, Olley, Campbell, Langstaff, Scott.

Subs not used: Hunter, Pani.