Analysis: AFC Telford United 3 Leiston 1

With table-toppers Bedford defeating third-placed Kettering Town 3-1 on Friday evening, Kevin Wilkin’s men went into this game knowing there was a degree of pressure on them to win and stay on Bedford’s coattails.

In opposition, Leiston arrived at the SEAH Stadium, yet to taste defeat in 2025. Chris Wigger’s team had amassed an eight-match unbeaten streak since their last loss, on 28 December, and only last week, the Suffolk side stole into the final playoff position as others faltered.

The Bucks’ 2-0 victory at Leiston in November was a fine away performance, but despite losing, Leiston tested the Bucks and showed they are a side comfortable with the ball, capable of posing a threat.

Wilkin had been forced into one team change, with captain Sam Whittall struggling with a hamstring injury. Jordan Piggott switched from midfield to the centre to pair with Orrin Pendley.

New signing Luke Rowe took the midfield gap left by Piggott, and Wilkin took the unexpected step of handing Rowe the captaincy. The 23-year-old’s natural organisational and leadership qualities were significant factors in Wilkin’s desire to bring him to the club, identifying them as insufficient elements in his squad.

There was also a first starting berth for attacking left-sided player Lewis Trickett, a right-footer who plays in the inverted style currently so favoured in the game.

If the Bucks were feeling any pressure, it wasn’t evident, and they were aided by some inattentive defending from Leiston, helping them into a lead with their first genuine attack.

Rowe helped create the moment by sending a ball diagonally over the head of left-back and Leiston skipper Seb Dunbar. Jimmy Armson moved into the space behind him and, after a quick glance to his left, lofted a precise delivery o nto the head of Stenson on the edge of the six-yard box. Leiston’s central defenders didn’t react to Stenson’s movement, and he had the simple task of nodding the ball to the right of an exposed Will Johnson.

The Bucks had barely got going but already had the lead, which meant Stenson drew level with Kyle Perry as the scorer of the most league goals in a single season in the club’s ‘AFC’ era. 

Leiston responded quickly, and they earned an attacking free-kick that brought several shots on goal, with some committed Bucks defence to make an equal number of blocks. In the midst of them, Leiston claimed a handball, which referee David Hinton didn’t entertain.

Undeterred, the visitors continued to apply pressure and gained more corner kicks; however, the off-target shooting of Dunbar and Adam Mills meant they couldn’t exploit them. Top scorer Jamar Loza had penalty claims waved aside, feeling he’d taken a kick when trying to wriggle through a tight space between two Bucks defenders.

A period of Bucks attacking followed, launched by Armson’s volley from the ‘D’, the attacking midfielder teeing himself up before firing wide to Johnson’s right following a partially cleared free-kick.

Johnson then enjoyed a slice of luck when failing to claim a ball into his area. Dunbar tried to clear but sliced it skywards. Stenson leapt with Johnson to get a touch on to the dropping ball, and a further attempt to turn it towards goal instead deposited the ball into the grounded Johnson’s arms.

The teams continued to trade attacks, albeit without any real cutting edge. The Bucks did get a clear sight of the goal in the 35th minute when a ball across the penalty area found Trickett on the left. The Accrington Stanley loanee chose to move the ball back on to his stronger right foot rather than shoot immediately, and when he did strike goalwards, his rising effort flashed wide to Johnson’s left.

It was a good chance spurned, but was quickly forgotten when midfielder Max Brogan added a second goal a few minutes later. Brogan, on loan from Scunthorpe United, extended his stay at the club in midweek, and his second goal in an eight-game stay to date was beautifully dispatched. More Bucks pressure and a desire to keep the play alive saw Stenson’s initial thrust into the area taken on by Armson. When the ball fell invitingly for Brogan, 12 yards out, he watched it onto his laces and caressed a sweet strike of the ball past Johnson’s right hand.

Much like a week earlier against Redditch, the Bucks hadn’t dominated, but they’d been controlled and had taken their chances. Unfortunately, parallels to a week earlier extended to having their lead cut in the 43rd minute. Some patient build-up play brought a turn and shot just inside the Bucks’ penalty area, one that ran slightly fortuitously into the path of Mills; he was first to react and brought the ball under control before tucking the ball inside Hall’s right post.

The goal was the blot on the opening 45 minutes for the Bucks, along with a late yellow card for midfielder Harry Hawkins, who delayed a quick restart after conceding a soft foul.

The home fans seemed content, although perhaps a feeling lingered that a testing second half may lie ahead. Wilkin’s side sought to make life more comfortable by seeking out a third goal early in the half. Cranston’s burst and a hard, low cross from the left brought a save from Johnson, and Armson almost glided through on to Brogan’s return stab in his direction after a typically languid run.

Trickett brought a good stop from Johnson, the keeper stretching to push away his hard, angled shot from the edge of the box; however, the third goal wasn’t long in coming.

Loza, Leiston’s top scorer, who liked to drift infield past Ellis Myles, saw his attempted ball over the full-back blocked by what Loza thought was a handball. The officials saw no foul, and Myles hoisted a quick ball forward in the inside right channel. It was the sort of ball Stenson thrives on, and he raced in behind the defence but still had a lot to do as Johnson hared off his line. Stenson’s aim was true, and he lofted a shot over Johnson, the ball bouncing once before finding the empty net. Loza sought to take issue with Myles during the celebrations, exchanging less-than-pleasantries.

Stenson had another brace, his sixth of the season, overtaking Perry to put his name into the Bucks’ record books with his league-leading 23rd goal of a prolific season.

More importantly, his team now had the breathing space of a two-goal lead against a more than-competent outfit.

Leiston’s attempts to launch a comeback weren’t helped by a series of stoppages. Armson left the play, replaced by Ellis Brown, and the visitors’ triple substitution with a quarter of the game remaining seemed to kill momentum as much as it changed it.

Stenson was withdrawn from the action in the 77th minute, although fears that the Bucks’ sole striker might be injured appeared unfounded, the move more precautionary than anything. Without Stenson, the Bucks lacked the bustling presence to keep Leiston on their mettle at the back, and the visitors started to dictate. 

The Bucks countered by allowing possession and working tigerishly, no doubt prompted by Rowe, to ensure Leiston couldn’t open them up. To their credit, the visitors continued to try and play through and around the hosts, rather than going direct in their desperation for a goal, but they didn’t truly unsettle the Bucks.

Substitute Cameron Rayworth sent a promising free-kick opportunity wide of the goal to Hall’s left as the clock ticked down, and even the addition of seven minutes yielded little apart from a booking for substitute Wyatt Hill’s knowing trip on Brown. 

What appeared to be a tricky afternoon’s assignment was handled more comfortably by the Bucks than anticipated. Ten more tests lie ahead of them, but they had done all they could on the day by winning.

Bucks: Hall, Myles, Cranston, Piggott, Pendley, Hawkins, Brogan, Rowe, Stenson (Walker 77), Armson (Brown 63), Trickett (Fridye-Harper 90+5). Subs not used: Hilton.

Leiston: Johnson, Yun, Dunbar, Armin (Fatadjo 67), Clements (Hill 67), Jackson, Mills, Alexander, Fowkes (Rayworth 67), Quantrell, Loza. Subs not used: Saunders, Jarvis.

Referee: David Hinton.

Attendance: 1,098.