Telford 0 Gloucester City 4 - Report

After the encouragement of their victory at Brackley on Good Friday, the Bucks were brought back down to earth with a bump, and their makeshift defence was no match for a Gloucester City side gunning for a play-off spot.

Spence opened the scoring within the first minute; the Bucks were cut open down their left-hand side and when they couldn’t prevent the low cross from the goal-line, Spence fired home from six yards out.

After a nightmare start, the Bucks settled and they should have been level by the 10th minute. Prince Ekpolo’s good work in the penalty area set up Montel Gibson six yards out, but his placed effort was blocked.

That was as good as it got for the home side, although they matched the visiting Tigers for a while. Former Buck Dom McHale, who seemed eager to score on his return to the club, dragged his shot wide from a good position after a swift City break.

Most of the Bucks’ defensive worries originated from wide positions, with Tope Odabeyi a prominent threat, and in the 38th minute, they claimed their second goal.

Again undone down their left side, the Bucks were unable to prevent Spence from arriving towards the far post to finish decisively over Joe Young.

They conceded a third goal on the stroke of half-time.

Gloucester found it all too easy as Obadeyi cut into the penalty area; at one point it seemed he had been unable to keep the ball in play, along the goal-line, but his low ball into the six-yard box was tucked in by Spence, who despite appearing to lose his feet was able to steer the ball in.

Wilkin replaced Adam Livingstone at half-time, introducing Brad Bood in a straight swap, but his options from the bench to try and change the game were limited.

The Bucks showed a little fight in the opening stages; however, in a moment that summed up their fortunes, Gibson’s fierce return shot after a Brendon Daniels free-kick rebounded to him hit his own player, Salmon, en route to goal.

The visitors didn’t really need to go looking for more goals, but appeared to sense the Bucks were at a low ebb, a stark contrast to their own ebullience.

McHale didn’t get the goal he wanted, but his replacement from the bench, JJ Hooper, did find the target, striking home confidently into Young’s far top corner as he ran onto the ball on the left of the penalty area.

The game was long since over, and a few boos at full-time indicated that Bucks fans can’t wait to see the back of this most miserable of campaigns.

Telford: Young, Allen, Livingstone (Bood 45), Nolan, Cameron, Moore (Rowe 51), Evans, Ekpolo, Daniels, Gibson, Salmon. Subs not used: Thompson, Williams.

Gloucester City: Hall, James, Evans, Nugent (Digie 66), Morgan, O’Sullivan, McHale (Hooper 62), Berkeley-Agyepong, Spence, Obadeyi, Phillips (Gyasi 77). Subs not used: Dada, Holmes.