Walker rescues late point as Saints preserve unbeaten run

But it was a case of two points dropped in Saturday’s Vanarama National League North contest which produced some fine festive fare for the 440 spectators, a good dose of late tension and a grand finale at St James Park.

An even first period saw the visitors go close from a deflected free-kick by Max Leonard wrong-footing Danny Lewis. But they took the lead with a 33rd minute penalty converted by top scorer Marcus Dinanga after Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was adjudged to have been brought down.

Saints almost levelled as keeper Jasbir Singh saved with his feet from Aaron Williams with Saints’ top scorer odds-on to score and The Bucks finished the half on the back-foot.

The second period was dominated by Saints, Singh saving well from Jimmy Armson before Armson’s deflected shot grazed the post. Alex Gudger fired over from a close-range melee and Armson shot wide from Ellis Myles’ pull-back as the pressure built on the visitors’ defence.

A flurry of yellow cards punished time-wasting as the clock ticked away and the visitors hung on for an away win. Telford defended well but ultimately could not resist the onslaught as Saints poured forward.

The equaliser came in added-time with Walker applying the final touch in an almighty goalmouth scramble to salvage a point on a day when top placed Salford lost but Harrogate won to jump above Saints into second place.

Telford will feel their defending warranted a hard-earned away point while Saints will believe they dropped two points in a game they had the chances to win comfortably.

“We were comfortable in the game throughout,” said manager Kevin Wilkin.

“We had some gilt-edged chances in both halves but you have to take them. In the second half we really moved the ball well. The second period was as one-sided as I can recall in a game to be honest.”