Telford United 1 Accrington Stanley 0

Last updated : 08 April 2004 By Footymad Previewer

A deflected Scott Green free-kick 24 minutes from time helped Telford to a deserved 1-0 victory over Accrington Stanley.

It was the hosts who started brightly and they should have gone ahead in the fourth minute when Chris Murphy played through John Grant but the striker rushed his shot and Jamie Speare made a comfortable save.

The Bucks were well on top and Murphy and Grant both went close from long range inside the opening 15 minutes.

The visitors were struggling to create chances of their own and Paul Moore became the latest Telford player to test Speare when fired a 25-yard shot towards goal.

Accrington finally mustered a shot midway through the half when Rory Prendergast beat the offside trap but Chris MacKenzie smothered his cross-cum-shot.

Telford were dominating possession but both sides missed good opportunities to break the deadlock through Moore and Paul Cook just before the interval.

After offering little in the first half Stanley should have gone a goal to the good when they had two brilliant chances within five minutes of the restart.

Firstly Jonathan Smith headed wide from a Prendergast corner and then Cook was brilliantly denied by MacKenzie who produced a point-blank range save to keep out a well-struck volley.

Michael Blackwood and Murphy both tried their luck from distance before the deadlock was finally broken on 66 minutes.

Blackwood was upended on the edge of the box and Green struck with his second free-kick in the space of a week, albeit aided by a deflection.

Telford had chances to double their lead with Blackwood, Murphy and Robin Hulbert all going close but they had already done enough to seal a deserved victory.