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| Tunnicliffe scored a fine headed goal |
By Chris Larkin
Why do we watch County? Is it for the lukewarm Steak and Gristle pies? Is it for the feeling of dread after every opposing foray into our half or is it to hope that maybe we can finally turn things around?
While we're still a long way from the Football League, you couldn't be blamed for cracking a smile as County comfortably beat a strongly fancied Telford United team 4-2.
Clearly unfazed by the visitor's superior league position, the Hatters started well - winning a corner in the first 2 minutes. But the chance went begging as the ball hit a sea of Telford players.
The opening goal wasn't long in coming though with Rhys Turner latching onto a defence-splitting through ball from Kyle Jacobs, running through and placing it beyond the Bucks goalkeeper to give County the early, crucial, 1-0 lead.
Just five minutes later though County were astounded and furious as the man in black awarded a very penalty to the visitors, one so dubious that home fans could have been forgiven for checking which Telford postcode covered the referee's home address.
Ryan Jones, making his County debut for the ill Ian Ormson, saved the penalty with a stunning one-handed save pushing it to safety from just an inc or two under the bar.
But just a few minutes later and County fans were once again questioning the referee's parents marital status as he gifted the visitors an equally dubious free-kick on the edge of the box. This time Telford made no mistake and the ball was curled into the top corner out of reach of Jones' despairing dive.
On the 30th minute mark the hosts won a corner that was only headed back as far as Nicky Platt who's cross found Kieran Charnock, the defender squeezing the ball home to give County a 2-1 lead. Minutes later the referee, clearly resigned to the fact that his beloved Telford were not going to level matters before half time, blew his whistle for the break.
County started the second half clearly determined to put the game to bed early.
The third goal came on the hour mark, from an unlikely source. County won a free-kick in a good attacking position. Left back Scott Duxbury whipped in a peach of a dead ball cross directly onto the head of James Tunnicliffe, whose header guided it like an exocet past the Telford stopper to give the Hatters a two goal cushion going into the final third of the game.
County's dominance began to show with Telford simply unable to deal with the Hatters attacking threats. The best chance fell to Kyle Jacobs who worked the keeper from distance. Then, with just under 15 minutes remaining County made the game safe with a 4th goal, courtesy of Kristian Dennis, who was on hand to rifle a deflected Kyle Jacobs cross into the net on the half-volley.
County's elation only last 2 minutes as the travelling Bucks pulled a goal back in bizarre circumstances with the ball looking for all the world like it was fired into the side netting but taking a deflection off the unfortunate Tunji Moses into his own goal.
Then, with just five minutes remaining Adriano Moke made a welcome return to the fray, coming on as a substitute and almost immediately winning County a good chance from a throw-in. And, despite the four minutes added time, neither side could add to their scores and County held on for a wonderful if unexpected three points against one of the better teams in the division.
Attendance: 2,710
County: Jones, Jacobs, Charnock, Tunnicliffe, Duxbury, Moses (Gossett), Platt, Howard, Turner (Moke), Jevons, Dennis.
Unused Subs: Lofthouse, O'Halloran, Fagbola
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