Bradford Park Avenue 2 AFC Telford 1 - Report and pictures

The Bucks took the lead through Marcus Dinanga's spot-kick, after the centre forward was fouled just inside the area.

Mulhern came on and wreaked havoc, though, with his aerial prowess - heading in for both of his goals.

Rob Edwards' side remain third bottom in National League North, with just eight matches of this torrid season left.

There were no changes to the Telford side that started Saturday's 0-0 home draw with Darlington - and the 1-0 win at Alfreton Town last Tuesday.

Top scorer Dinanga was again leading the line alongside Kane Richards, who has looked sharp since signing from Dover Athletic a couple of weeks ago.

Paul Bignot and Jon Royle were left out of the squad, while Amari Morgan-Smith served the last of a three-match ban. In the Avenue starting XI were former Bucks defenders Shane Killock and Luca Havern.

A running track surrounds the pitch at Horsfall Stadium, meaning games there can be a little stop-start. This one began in a rather frenetic manner.

The hosts were the first to go close to scoring. Nicky Clee's free-kick from the left fell to Nicky Wroe, whose shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Telford left-back Bob Harris - and the Scot then got in the way of Oli Johnson's snapshot.

Another set piece saw the Bucks almost take the lead, just after the quarter-hour mark. Ellis Deeney - the younger brother of Watford striker Troy - swung in a corner with his left foot and skipper Shane Sutton's bullet header was superbly denied by Steven Drench.

Neither team dominated possession as they adopted a direct approach. The aim for each was to work the ball wide and get early crosses into the box.

An Avenue attempt to progress down the left flank was brought to a halt by Richards, who picked up the night's first yellow card for his late challenge on ex-Wolves man Matt Hill.

The home side then almost made the breakthrough following a move on the right, Clee's cross being met by the head of Danny Boshell and the ball smacking the crossbar.

Some Telford players struggled to make an impact in the first half. Jordan Lussey, on the right of the midfield four, barely touched the ball while the front two of Dinanga and Richards did not receive any service of real quality.

Dinanga, though, impressively took it upon himself to create an opening and give the Bucks lead, just prior to half-time. His sharp turn saw Killock panic and trip the Burton Albion loanee, who coolly converted from the spot - sending Drench the wrong way for his 19th goal of the campaign.

Dinanga should have doubled his and Telford's tally just after the interval. His header flew a few inches wide following a drilled cross from Richards.

Those two proved a handful for the Avenue backline with their pace and trickery, but it was an Avenue attacker who got the next goal.

Mulhern, who replaced Boshell for the start of the second period, saw his glancing header sneak in at the near post. Bucks goalkeeper Ben Wilson seemed to think the ball would go wide. A hugely disappointing leveller.

Telford were then on the back foot. They still threatened on the counter, though, and a swift breakaway should have ended with Dinanga putting the ball in the net, but he fluffed his lines.

He blazed over from point-blank range after Elliot Newby's initial effort was palmed back into danger by Drench. A massive miss.

Edwards made his first change with just over quarter of an hour to go as John Marsden, surprisingly, replaced the lively Richards.

Marsden has mainly played in midfield for the Bucks this term but was playing on the shoulder with Dinanga here. Wolves loanee Ryan Giles entered the fray with 10 minutes to go, going to the left with Newby switching to the right.

Marsden looked to make an instant impression from a free-kick, but his strike was tame and rolled straight to the grateful Drench.

Then came the hammer blow. Sutton gave away a free-kick in a dangerous area and Hill's inswinger was nodded into the far corner by Mulhern, in the 88th minute.

Telford's last change, in desperation, saw Jordan Murphy come on for Ross White but he did not get a touch before the final whistle. Frustrating from the Bucks.

Teams

Bradford PA (4-4-1-1): Drench; Ross, Killock, Havern, Hill; Vidal, Boshell (Mulhern, 46), Wroe (c), Clee (A Smith, 36. Spencer, 80); Brooksby; O Johnson

Subs not used: Toulson, Hall

Telford (4-4-2): Wilson; White (Murphy, 89), Sutton (c), D Smith, Harris; Lussey (Giles, 80), Deeney, Cowans, Newby; Dinanga, Richards (Marsden, 74)

Subs not used: C Johnson, Singh (gk)

Attendance: 334

Referee: Dean Watson (Lancashire)