Telford punished by resurgent Motormen

Mar 13 2009 by Alec Doyle, Chester Chronicle

REVENGE is sweet and Vauxhall Motors served up a frustrating portion to visiting AFC Telford on Tuesday night.

Exactly three weeks earlier, Telford had spanked Motors 5-1 to end the astonishing unbeaten run that put Carl Macauley’s side on the brink of the Blue Square North play-offs.

At the Motassist Arena in front of a bumper crowd of 256 in midweek, the tables were turned as Motors struck twice in the opening 10 minutes through Karl Noon and veteran striker Lee Furlong, who bagged his second goal in as many games.

Motors then shut out the promotion chasers for the remaining 80 minutes.

After three weeks of patchy form, Motors may be about to restore their confidence and hit another purple patch, as Tuesday’s result came hot on the heels of a 2-0 victory at home to Burscough.

The win saw the Motormen entrench former boss Andy Mutch in the mire as his relegation-threatened side, featuring former Motors stars Brian Moogan and Peter Heler, offered little resistance.

Furlong drew first blood early for Motors.

His low shot from an acute angle squeezed past keeper Steve Dickinson at the near post to make it 1-0 after just three minutes.

The Motormen, playing to 225 supporters, nearly doubled their advantage after 20 minutes when Noon’s left-foot shot rattled the crossbar from eight yards.

Burscough midfielder Josh Wilson was stretchered off after 29 minutes after falling awkwardly on his ankle.

In the second half Burscough did chase the game, switching to three at the back which left them exposed.

This was highlighted on 79 minutes when Furlong found himself one on one with the keeper, rounding Dickinson with ease before laying the ball off for Tom Field to slot the ball into an empty net and make the points safe.