A DAN Preston header was enough to condemn Worcester City to only their second defeat in seven games in the Skrill Conference North encounter against AFC Telford United at Aggborough on Tuesday.
The centre-back rose highest from a Shaun Whalley corner in the 12th minute to settle the contest and, despite a host of chances for The Bucks in the opening period, the solitary goal was enough.
Carl Heeley’s men grew in confidence in the second half and created a number of chances themselves, but they couldn’t find their way past a resolute visiting defence to leave them still 16th in the table.
After a lively start from the hosts it was Telford who nearly got their noses infront when Wes Baynes long ball caught Richard Munday napping, allowing Whalley a chance in on goal but the defender redeemed himself by putting in a last ditch challenge to divert the ball behind for a corner.
The visitor’s pressure continued in the opening ten minutes when Matty McGinn’s driven free-kick was diverted round the post by Jose Veiga. Neil Byrne headed the resulting corner wide.
The Bucks’ got their reward after 12 minutes when Preston nodded home Whalley ‘s corner after McGinn’s goalbound effort had been blocked behind.
Within minutes Liam Watson’s men could have doubled their lead when Whalley’s dangerous cross found McGinn on the edge of the box, but the full-backs stinging half volley skimmed off the top of the bar.
It was all one way traffic at Aggborough as Veiga denied both Adam Farrell and somehow another Preston header as Telford pushed for a second.
Worcester carved out their first major chance of the game after 37 minutes when George Williams’ deep cross found Daniel Nti in the box, the striker headed back to Aaron Brown but he skied his half-volley well over the bar.
Brown had half a chance to draw his side level six minutes after the break when he rose highest to head Steven Leslie’s free-kick wide of the target.
Whalley was proving a real thorn in Heeley’s side and the winger should have increased Telford’s lead five minutes later after he latched onto a long ball from Baynes to run in on Veiga’s goal, but he dithered on the ball and his eventual effort was drilled straight at the Portuguese stopper.
Bucks ‘keeper Ryan Young kept his side in the game after 63 minutes when he palmed away a stinging Ebby Nelson-Addy drive before clawing the rebound away from Ethan Moore, who was inches away from heading home.
Brown’s last-gasp free-kick was pushed away by Young before debutant Aaron Farrell sliced wide and Daniel Nti blasted into the side netting with the last kick of the game, but it wasn’t to be as Telford hung on to claim a vital three points in their promotion push.
Manager Heeley said: “I was a little bit disappointed in us first half and I thought we were deservedly behind at half time.
“The second half we’ve come out and changed a few things and I thought we dominated the game, and on the balance of play we probably deserved something out of it.
“We had two or three really good chances and we haven’t taken them, so it’s down to ourselves really but I thought we were a bit unlucky this evening.”