AFC Telford United 2 Spennymoor Town 2 - Report and pictures

Gavin Cowan’s men were unfortunate not to find a winner after recovering well from a poor start that saw the visitors 2-0 in front inside 25 minutes.

The Bucks hit back before the break through a sweet Adam Walker finish and Billy Sass-Davies provided the deserved leveller just two minutes after half-time.

Telford were arguably the better side in the first period, despite going in at the break behind, having also had efforts off the line and against the woodwork as the fourth-placed opposition’s goal lived a charmed life.

They were rewarded just after the interval but neither side could find a winner in the second half of what was an entertaining National League North encounter - meaning that Spennymoor have now gone 10 games without beating a Telford team.

Things looked bleak for Cowan’s side early on as they bid to put right back-to-back league defeats that had them down to 16th.

Glen Taylor’s early penalty, conceded by debutant Riccardo Calder, and James Roberts’ flick had the north-east visitors two clear but the Bucks impressive fightback was the least they deserved and lifted them up a place in the standings against a side who are now unbeaten in 11 league games.

Cowan was able to finally hand a debut to Calder, who signed for the Bucks at the beginning of October.

Left-sided flier Calder was scheduled to make his Bucks bow against leaders York but pulled his groin muscle just moments before kick-off.

He has spent the last month recovering from the unfortunate set-back and came into the side in place of Brendon Daniels, who was out with a hamstring injury having limped off in the last-gasp defeat at Curzon Ashton last weekend.

Ellis Deeney recovered from illness to be included in Cowan’s starting XI while there was also a place for defender Arlen Birch, in for Ross White.

There was no place for injury absentees Shane Sutton and Henry Cowans, who are said to be nearing a return, while Chris Lait was left out.

Telford knew their visitors would be formidable opponents, the Moors having lost just once in 15 contests in all competitions to help them into fourth in the National North.

Long-serving boss Jason Ainsley’s side recovered from a sluggish start this season to find some fine form.

Cowan’s men showed powers of recovery of their own against York after Guiseley after bringing some new faces to the club, but followed those up with home defeats to Boston and at Curzon.

Telford were sporting their special one-off rainbow style Capgemini shirts in aid of their fight against homophobia in football.

The Bucks were shaped in a 4-4-2 diamond system, with new-boy Calder in for Daniels at left-back and Shrewsbury Town loanee Ryan Barnett - making his first home appearance since re-signing on loan - at the tip of the diamond in support of strikers Aaron Williams and Matty Stenson.

The visitors started the sharper. An errant pass from Billy Sass-Davies invited pressure but Telford recovered from the corner to block shots from Taylor and James Roberts.

Barnett, Deeney and James McQuilkin were busy in midfield but their combination play, at times, lacked accuracy.

The Moors looked more convincing in the final third. Robert Ramshaw’s delightful pass played Roberts in behind Calder but the winger could only fire low and wide across Matt Yates’ goal.

But there was more trouble down the Bucks left 11 minutes in as he clever Roberts flicked over Calder before speeding towards the penalty area. The Telford man rushed to get back and recover but his sliding challenge was mis-timed and brought Roberts down.

Referee Peter Shacklady pointed to the spot instantly and Moors hitman Taylor lashed his 15th goal of the season into the bottom left corner, with Yates having guessed the right way but beaten by power.

The hosts recovered from the early set-back. Industrious work from Williams on the left allowed the striker to cut inside before a fierce drive was parried by Matt Gould.

Cowan’s men worked themselves on top and only some fine Spennymoor defending cleared dangerous crosses. McQuilkin’s volley from the edge of the box was smartly tipped around the post by Gould.

Williams had another good chance, this time from a clever McQuilkin corner, but sent his first-time volley over.

Telford were creating more chances but looked unconvincing at the back and a long Moors clearance was flicked on by Taylor, who got above Theo Streete, for Roberts to sneak in from the right and flick a clever but messy finish over Yates, with Sass-Davies unable to clear off the line.

The Bucks should have immediately halved the deficit as Spennymoor failed to deal with a corner but Walker, in acres of space inside the box, had his smashed low strike blocked right on the line. The white shirts of Telford claimed it was a goal but officials said no.

Roberts curled a nice strike past the box before a Taylor header was brilliantly tipped wide by Yates.

Ramshaw glanced a header wide moments before Telford got themselves back in the contest with a deserved Walker goal five minutes before the break.

It came at the end of a neat move involving Barnett, Walker and Calder as Walker found the latter wide on the left. Calder’s cross was half-cleared to the edge of the box where the midfielder lifted a lovely effort with the outside of his left foot into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Telford should have been level going into the break. Streete was unlucky with a deflected low strike after some nifty feet, before loan striker Stenson almost lit up the afternoon.

Stenson took the ball down from the air, sidestepped his defender before a thundering strike from 25 yards flew over Gould and crashed off the crossbar, down on to the line and out.

Telford’s comeback was complete within two minutes of the second half, reward for a positive start to the second half.

It was on-loan Crewe man Sass-Davies who stooped to head in McQuilkin’s left-sided corner and haul Cowen’s men level.

The New Bucks Head PA system credited the goal to Deeney but the home skipper was happy to point towards the rangy figure of Sass-Davies.

Moors fired a warning sign back immediately as Yates was needed to rush out and keep out Taylor’s angled finish after Ramshaw’s clever pass.

But the wind was very much in Telford sails. The impressive Stenson took the game by the scruff of its neck with some direct and purposeful play, further endearing himself to Bucks fans.

Telford had been under less pressure from Spennymoor but Yates was still called upon to keep the scores level after Taylor had all too easily flicked one on to Ramshaw in the box.

Moments later Birch should have scored his first Telford goal after being played in down the right channel by a delightful pass. The former Fylde man charged into the area, one-on-one against Gould, but the keeper came out on top with a comfortable stop.

Walker was also leading the Bucks charge from midfield and, after being picked out by Calder, his low ball across the box was just ahead of Stenson and Williams.

Cowan sent Marcus Dinanga on for Williams with 15 minutes remaining in search of a winner.

The Bucks pushed but Stenson, on the slide, was unable to turn Birch’s deep cross goalwards.

Spennymoor’s most dangerous player was Roberts and the winger wasn’t far wide with his effort from distance after cutting in from the left flank.

Telford applied late pressure against the in-form visitors. Cowan’s side were coming out on top of 50-50 battles, one such challenge released Walker on the left side of the box and his strike was very well blocked.

Both sides defended well in an open finale to the watchable fixture but neither did enough to quite find the all-important winner.

AFC Telford United (4-4-2 diamond):

Yates; Birch, Sass-Davies, Streete, Calder (White, 87); Deeney ©, Walker, McQuilkin, Barnett; Stenson, Williams (Dinanga, 75).

Subs not used: Martinez (gk), Knights, Barnes-Homer.

Spennymoor Town (4-2-3-1):

Gould; Hibbs, Buddle, Curtis, Mason ©, Chandler, Henry; Roberts (Cogdon, 86), Ramshaw, McKenna (Ward, 75); Taylor.

Subs not used: Brogen, Anderson, Boyes.

Attendance: 1,190

Referee: Peter Shacklady