AFC Telford boss Paul Carden: Lift your heads off the floor

Robbie Evans scored his first goal for the club as the Bucks drew 1-1 at Southport yesterday, meaning they are winless on the road across the entire National League North season.

But a dramatic late winner for currently basement boys Guiseley against Spennymoor hauled Steve Kittrick's Lions within a single point of Telford ahead of Saturday's finale at home to sixth-placed York, who are mathematically certain of a play-off spot. Guiseley play at Alfreton, who are two points off a play-off place.

"It is what it is, it doesn't alter the fact that we've got a point out of a game we ought to have got three," Carden said.

"That's my disappointment, the game should've been put to bed, should've been out of sight.

"The chances we've had, how we've not scored more than one, but that's down to us.

"I'm not surprised by Guiseley's result at all, we beat Spennymoor comfortably 2-0 and it probably should've been four. If anyone ever thought that was a foregone conclusion, I didn't.

"We have to do it on Saturday against York. We're capable of it. I've just told the lads you've got to pick your heads up, don't be down, be disappointed but look to put things right what we've not done today - and basically that was finishing."

Carden's men passed up chance after chance in a dominant one-way second half. Keaton Ward missed two glaring chances, as did Jason Oswell and Marcus Marshall hit the crossbar.

"He did (have the best chance) and he's gutted," Carden said of Ward.

"To be honest I don't know why he took it with his left when he was through with all the time in the world to even control it to slot it home.

"But he's made that decision, made a great run forward.

"Ossie had a good chance, Keats had another chance where he should slip Devarn (Green) in. We hit the bar with Marshy, we need to put these chances away.

"At the end we were going for it and you leave yourself open a bit at the back, that can happen, but we never stopped going for it, trying to win.

"That's the position we're in, we didn't come for a point, we came for three and after five minutes we grew into the game, scored a really good goal, and I felt there was only going to be one winner."