Half-time wake-up call fired up AFC Telford to earn a point on the road

The Bucks fell two goals adrift by the interval, with the hosts belying their league position by working hard and not giving Wilkin’s team time to find a rhythm.

An own goal got St Ives on the board as the Bucks were caught napping, and their failure to defend a long throw-in that they’d been warned about led to a second goal, tapped in by George Munday.

Wilkin said: “We do our background on St Ives and know there's a long throw-in there, and they play with a big, strong, physical side, and they load the boys up there.

"We've got to manage those moments and deal with those moments a whole lot better and players have got to step up and take responsibility.

"They're not difficult moments in themselves; it’s about being brave and getting people organised in the right place and we haven't done that well enough.

"I feel they’re soft goals and disappointing, but I got them in at half-time and gave them a bit of a shake.

"I got into one or two there and let them know in no uncertain terms what I expect and that I know what they're capable of delivering, and fortunately, we got a reaction.”

Rhys Hilton, a surprise selection in place of the injured Jimmy Armson, smashed a long-range goal past Dan Wilks to cut the lead within three minutes of the restart and also saw a shot strike the underside of the bar and bounce down close to the line five minutes later.

The Bucks kept knocking at the door and smart work from Max Brogan was finished off by left-back Jordan Cranston for his first goal for the club, tying the scores up with 20 minutes remaining. The Bucks had the momentum, but not enough to force a winner.

Wilkin would have taken the victory had it come, but wouldn’t have been fooled by the performance.

“It doesn't hide the fact that overall, for the 90 minutes, it wasn't at the level we needed," he said. "A draw was probably a fair result at the end of the day.

"St Ives continued to force moments and situations and didn't lie down for one moment, but you can tell I’m cheesed off because those goals are so, so avoidable.

"I ruffled a few feathers in there at half-time and clearly got a reaction out of them, but it shouldn't take that. The measure of any side is probably when it comes from within.

"People can feel comfortable in the environment where they take a bit of a rollicking at times, but it's important they can take it, understand it, and react to it and not feel as though it's a personal situation.

"The lads did respond, there's no doubt about it, and we've kept pushing and pushing. There's lots to like about the second half, but the bits that are missing in the first half are something I need to try and address.”