Turner strikes for Telford glory
December 21st, 2008
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AFC Telford United 1-0 Stalybridge Celtic
AFC Telford United provided some Christmas cheer with victory over an impressive Stalybridge Celtic at the New Buck's Head to ensure that the Bucks go into Christmas just three points behind the league leaders, writes Steve Humbles.
In a hugely entertaining first-half which provided a great advert for Blue Square North, both sides played some impressive football and the only surprise was that the interval arrived with no goals for either team. Telford started particularly well and a good move involving Lee Moore and Andy Brown ended with Moore's shot being blocked on 8 minutes, whilst with 14 on the clock James Meredith did superbly on the left only for visiting goalkeeper Paul Philips to claim his cross as Terry Fearns waited to pounce. Three minutes later Brown was one-on-one with Philips after an impressive back-heel from Fearns but the goalkeeper got down well to block his shot and Moore fired narrowly wide from the rebound. Philips again denied the Bucks on 21 when he tipped Carl Rodgers' effort round the post following Fearns' pass, but for their part Stalybridge were playing some neat football and Keith Briggs forced Ryan Young to push his strike over the crossbar on 32 minutes.
After the restart, Young pushed a long-range strike from the ever-dangerous Steve Torpey over his bar on 51 but the Bucks continued to look the most likely scorers. Fearns fired wide with only Philips to beat on 52 and five minutes later Rodgers' rising drive just cleared the bar before Philips again saved his side, diving to his left to push Liam Blakeman's effort wide on 64. Brown headed just past the post from Jon Adams' corner on 67 minutes and Fearns fired over with an excellent chance on 80 after Vaughan headed Philips' goal-kick straight back towards the Celtic goal, but two minutes later the Bucks finally had the goal their pressure deserved. Substitute Steve Jagielka's initial effort was blocked, but fellow substitute Jimmy Turner turned onto the loose ball to rifle past Philips and into the goalkeeper's bottom-right corner. There were no major alarms in the remaining minutes as Telford held on to secure a deserved victory ahead of the Christmas double-header against Stafford Rangers.
AFC Telford: 1. Ryan Young, 2 Lee Vaughan, 3. James Meredith, 4. Gavin Cowan (c), 5. Indy Khela, 6. Liam Blakeman, 7. Jon Adams, 8. Carl Rodgers, 9. Terry Fearns, 10. Andy Brown, 11. Lee Moore. SUBS: 12. Steve Jagielka (for Adams 78), 14. Danny Edwards, 15. Jamie Vermiglio (for Blakeman 83), 16. Jimmy Turner (for Khela 70), 17. Martyn Naylor
Referee: Mr I Radford (Worcester)
Attendance: 1890
Pictured: Jimmy Turner fires the only goal of the game and below celebrates his strike, pictures by James Baylis
Click on the thumbnails for a larger view
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