Gavin Cowan: AFC Telford's failure will fuel success for next season

The Bucks just missed out after losing 1-0 at York City on Saturday, with Bradford Park Avenue beating them to seventh.

It was a disappointing end to a great campaign, especially as they were in the play-off places for the vast majority of time over the past few months.

But Cowan said: “I’ve spoken to the players, we’re all competitors, and we have to use it as a platform.

“Speaking to the players, I could feel myself bubbling up, getting even more hungry for next season.

“We’re going to work hard to make sure that we hit the ground running in pre-season, and we’ll get there.

“This is the feeling you’re fearful of, so it’s about overcoming it and using it as a platform to become better.”

Telford went into the York game seven unbeaten - but five of those were draws.

Cowan conceded too many stalemates was the reason they did not realise their play-off dream.

And when asked if the pressure got to them, Cowan said: “If that is the case, then it’s something they’ve got to learn to deal with.

“If you want to achieve anything, there’s going to be an element of pressure, so you need to deal with that.

“Anybody who has had something to play has had pressure to overcome.

“I don’t necessarily think it was that. I just think that it was fine margins.”

Cowan has now finished his first season in management, and added: “For a first stab at it, it’s not been a bad effort.

“If I’m totally honest, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.

“But we’ll use it as a platform to grow and be even better.

“You have to use things like this as a platform. We need to go into next season with optimism.

“And I think a lot of these lads have earned another crack at it. They deserve another stab at it.”