Rob Smith: Players owe a big Telford performance

The Bucks fought back to draw 1-1 at Curzon Ashton on Saturday but Smith labelled the effort 'lethargic'.

Eager for more consistency across 90 minutes, he's promised his players a tough training session tonight.

"We are doing it in fits and starts," he said. "Some of the stuff we play is nice but at other times we are making it easy for the opposition.

"Now we are looking forward to a big game against a big club in Stockport and the lads owe us a bit of a performance I think."

Telford have only won one of their opening five games in National League North and, now the season is up and running in earnest, Smith wants his team to put in the necessary work.

"I expect better than Saturday," he said.

"I was a little bit stunned. Since I have been here in pre-season the lads have given me everything and I could not question their commitment, but I do question that first half.

Lethargic

"They are paid to represent the club and put a shift in. You can't turn up to games in the Conference North and expect to win by playing well for only 45 minutes.

"There is no hiding behind this squad any more," added the Bucks Head boss.

"They are my players, representing me, and if they go and put a lethargic performance like that in it does not bode well. The good thing is we got a reaction and a point away from home, I will take that all day long.

"But we are still very much a work in progress and I think we should be better at this stage. We have to get better."

Despite that second-half salvo, Smith doesn't plan to go lightly on his players in training as they enjoy their first free midweek of the campaign.

"We won't be working on any shape tonight, I can tell you that, but we will be working," he said.

"Of course we need time. We need that consistent performance.

"You look at how Danny Reynolds played in the second half and he looked a real player, in other games he has done it in bits.

"What I am looking for is seven or eight out of ten off everyone and I think it should be good enough to win games of football.

"The first-half performance at Curzon Ashton on Saturday was twos and threes."