AFC Telford United 1 Worcester City 0

ANY point squandered at this critical stage in the season is significant for sides scrapping it out towards the bottom.

So relegation-threatened Worcester City will hope their late blunder at the New Bucks Head Stadium does not come back to haunt them.

Worcester were on course to claiming a precious point in their fight to stave off relegation from Vanarama National League North.

But with seven minutes to go they shot themselves in the foot.

Goalkeeper Nathan Vaughan came out to deal with a long, hopeful delivery only to collide with defender Andy Gallinagh.

The ball then dropped to John Marsden who fired home to secure victory for the hosts who eased their own fears of slipping out of the division.

The only crumb of comfort for City was third-from-bottom Gainsborough Trinity suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat at play-off chasing Chorley.

It means the Blue and Whites remain two points clear of the drop zone with a significantly better goal difference.

But with four of their next five games against teams in the top seven John Snape’s men will feel this was a massive missed opportunity.

After ending their 18-match winless streak the previous weekend City played with confidence and came close to going ahead in stunning fashion on nine minutes.

Cieron Keane’s corner was cleared as far as Ebby Nelson-Addy whose well-struck volley from 20 yards whistled wide.

Either side of that Lee Hughes had chances as he nodded into the arms of Vaughan after Connor McCarthy found him at the back post before heading over.

The 40-year-old striker was facing City for the first time since leaving in February but Graham Hutchison, especially, did a fine job at keeping him quiet.

Hughes’ strike partner McCarthy came closest to scoring in the opening spell as his shot clipped the outside of the post.

At the other end forward Kuda Muskwe, who was replacing the injured Junior English, was making a lively debut.

He won several flicks and linked up play well but when given his first sight of goal he fluffed his lines after Nelson-Addy poked the ball through to him.

Jordan Murphy also failed to really test keeper Callum Burton with a shot from 12 yards after latching on to a wonderful delivery from Keane.

Shortly after the break James Chambers presented Hughes with a chance when he miscued a header but the frontman’s volley dribbled wide.

Keane kept plugging away down the left but his crosses lacked accuracy at times as Burton remained untroubled.

Vaughan, meanwhile, looked like holding on for a second successive clean sheet but a poor mistake allowed Marsden to open the scoring.

In response Jordan Keane went close with a glancing header late on as Worcester brought youngsters Callum Devlin and Ben Tilbury off the bench.

But the visitors needed a good save from Vaughan to stop them from conceding a second at the death.

Josh Wilson burst into the box and squared the ball to an unmarked Dan Westwood who was denied by Vaughan from close range.