AFC Telford preview: Bucks ready for another battle with the Daniels
AFC Telford United boss Kevin Wilkin has expressed his excitement ahead of another ‘battle’ with play-off chasing Stamford this weekend.
The Bucks and the Daniels met three times in the Southern Central Premier during 2024, with Telford coming out the winners each time.
However, none of those games were comfortable victories for Wilkin’s side, and he is expecting another closely-fought affair tomorrow afternoon.
“All of the battles we’ve had with Stamford have been quite close so there’s plenty of indication there that this game will be something similar,” the Bucks boss said. “We’ve got every respect for them as a team and what they do, and we’re expecting a tough game. They’re a capable side and have been going along really nicely in the league this season.”
He added: “I know they got beat by Halesowen on Tuesday, but Halesowen are a good side, and we can’t underestimate (Stamford).
“It’s nice to be back home though and piecing together some results there is certainly the intention.”
Stamford’s record against sides at the top end of the table this season has been poor, having lost to all the current top six this season.
On that record, Wilkin commented: “There’s nothing guaranteed about playing them, and while we’d like to capitalise on that record you just have to look at how erratic we are at the moment.
“We need to focus on ourselves and stop being so erratic, because if we can do that we’ll give ourselves a real chance against almost everybody at the level.”
He added: “For me it’s more about what we do and how we go about our business than it is about the opposition.
“We’ve proved enough times we can compete with anybody top to bottom at this level, but it’s about competing and winning the games.
“That’s the step extra that we’ve got to take now.”
Wilkin also provided positive fitness updates on long-term absentee Steffan Jones, as well as midfield pair Jakub Kruszynski and Byron Moore.
“Steff has started training with us again so there’s every chance he may be able to get away without having to have the cyst removed,” Wilkin revealed. “At the moment he’s able to do what he needs to do, and we’re hoping he can start to ramp his training schedule up with us, join the squad and enter calculations for a start.
“In the next few weeks we could quite possibly (look to loan him out), but we’ll have to see where the squad sits at the time.”
He added: “I’ve had conversations with both Byron and Jakub and they both expect, or at least are hoping, to be fit enough to be involved on Saturday.
“That would certainly be a boost, but you’ve probably heard me say that before and it hasn’t quite happened, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
Rhys Hilton has also returned to the club after his loan spell at Harborough Town ended, but it remains to be seen if his future lies at the SEAH Stadium or elsewhere.
