AFC Telford analysis: Self-belief needed to Buck losing trend

The 2-1 third qualifying round defeat made it back-to-back losses for the Bucks.

They have won just once in their last five games and lost three in succession on the road. Telford’s thrilling form throughout August really got fans dreaming of what could be this campaign, but these last few weeks have acted as a stark reality check.

As results suggest, there is a lot for Gavin Cowan and his players to work on.

So how do they go about getting their mojo back? Pointing towards the formation – four at the back, a midfield diamond and two up top – as the problem is perhaps the easiest thing to do as, quite frankly, it did not work at Cantilever Park. The Bucks were too narrow and one-dimensional to cause the one-division-below Warrington major problems for a lot of the game.

But it is exactly the same system that worked so well in the early stages of the campaign. And as Cowan stated afterwards, ripping up your philosophy and starting again from scratch is not the right thing to do. The truth is that Telford have not been the same since their first loss of the term – 3-0 at Darlington a month ago.

Their confidence took a hit from that. Beforehand, they were playing free-flowing football. It was all very sharp.

In this clash, they were rushing things. They gave the ball away cheaply too many times. What they need to is really believe in themselves once again.

The Yellows enjoyed the lion’s share of possession early on. The Bucks, whenever they got the ball, went direct – looking to find top scorer Daniel Udoh or strike partner Amari Morgan-Smith with high balls downfield. Warrington, who had former Shrewsbury man David Raven at centre-half, dealt with that approach easily though. And that was no surprise as they have kept eight successive clean sheets in the Northern Premier. Telford’s best chance of the first half fell to Salop loanee John McAtee. Morgan-Smith found space on the right flank and cut the ball back to the teenager. He should have hit the target but could only fire wide on the stretch.

Steph Morley started at left-back for Telford after almost two months out injured. And the fact he got through 90 minutes unscathed was one of the big positives of the afternoon – but the cross for Bohan Dixon’s opener for the Yellows came from his side. Jack Mackreth delivered the ball to Dixon, who superbly guided the ball home with his head.

A very disappointing goal for Bucks to concede, especially given the fact they let one in at the same time to lose at Blyth Spartans the weekend prior. The visitors began the second period with more energy, but the Yellows still seemed to have that bit extra.

And the hosts doubled their advantage shortly after the hour mark. Telford were caught cold from a clever corner and Ben Garrity took advantage as his powerful drive found the corner.

The Bucks tried to find a way back by making a few substitutions – Adam Dawson, Darryl Knights and Andre Brown coming on.

Warrington cleared a Brown effort off the line before Udoh got his 11th of the campaign – although goalkeeper Tony McMillan looked to be fouled.

Telford desperately searched in vain for a dramatic equaliser. A late leveller would have been incredibly harsh on the Yellows who were well worth the victory and the £15,000 prize money.