Rob Smith wants end to Telford travel sickness
Rob Smith has called for AFC Telford to show greater character on their travels after admitting the club's dire away record is dragging them down.
The Bucks have won just once away from home all year and submitted another below-par performance in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Harrogate Town.
A testing FA Trophy tie at high-flying Kidderminster Harriers now awaits on Saturday and Smith believes his players must improve their mentality.
"I do think it is a mental thing," he said. "There is no reason why you can't go away from home and perform as well as you do at home.
"We have played some really nice stuff at the New Bucks Head but when we go away we are struggling and I think it speaks to a lack of character.
"To have only won at Altrincham this season is really poor. It is the away form which has been dragging us down. We keep on turning wins into draws and draws into defeats."
He continued: "The change has to come from the players, there is not much as a manager I can do to help them.
"They are a young bunch and some of them are still getting used to playing week-in, week-out."
The Bucks were 1-0 winners against Harriers in September but their rivals have been in blistering form since and sit second in the table, having scored three goals in each of their last three games.
"If we turn up on Saturday and play like we did at Harrogate than we are going to be in trouble," said Smith.
"Harriers have some very good attacking players who are capable of taking teams apart.
"We just never got going at Harrogate. Yes, we were always in the game but it was a lacklustre performance."
Telford are set to assess the fitness of defensive duo Luca Havern and Dwayne Samuels at training tonight, with concerns the latter may have suffered ligament damage after being forced off at Harrogate.
Smith confirmed striker Dave Hibbert will return for the trip to Aggborough, having missed last weekend's game.
