Telford's Luca Havern out to stop league hot-shots

The Bucks skipper – who has started 26 league games this campaign – put in a top-drawer display in the 1-1 draw with league leaders AFC Fylde last weekend, writes Joe Edwards.

With the help of centre-half partner Paul McCone, the league's leading scorer Danny Rowe – who has netted on 35 occasions this term, nine more than Telford – was kept quiet at Mill Farm.

Now Havern is likely to be facing the man who is second in the division's scoring charts, 15-goal Dan Newton.

"You do look forward to them, those one-on-one battles as a defender," said the Telford captain.

"My job is to try and keep their striker as quiet as possible so I am looking forward to the challenge.

"At the end of the day, mine and Paul's job – and Ben Bailey's – is to stop them from scoring so we were disappointed to let in the goal we did at Fylde.

"We showed good character and resilience after that though and we want to take that into this game, and get a clean sheet as well.

"We haven't had a clean sheet for a while and we need to change that as that was something we were building on a bit earlier on in the season."

Havern played the full 90 minutes as the Bucks lost 2-1 on what was then a newly-installed artificial surface at the Lamb Ground in August.

Newton put Tamworth ahead that day, Tom Peers levelled for the Bucks and then Lambs player-manager Andy Morrell came off the bench to score a last-minute winner.

"It was disappointing, the manner we lost the game there," said Havern.

"But what it is about now is taking the positives from last week's game into this one.

"It was really positive, I was really pleased, and this is a game we want to be winning, we are looking for the three points.

"If we play like we did against Fylde – working hard for each other – then we should be able to get a result.

"We need to turn up with the right attitude and put a shift in, and look to start turning good performances into wins now."

Going into the encounter, Telford are 18th in the table and out of the relegation places on goal difference while Tamworth are seventh, a point outside the play-off places.

Both teams were in a similar position when they met at the New Bucks Head over the Easter period last year, with the Bucks winning 1-0 thanks to a Connor McCarthy strike.

Havern pointed towards the added competition for places after some astute signings recently, such as former West Bromwich Albion striker Lee Hughes and ex-Blackpool left-sided player Joel Dielna.

"Hughesy doesn't just bring performances, and goals, he brings that professionalism, work rate and experience to the team," added Havern.

"Then you have got Joel who has come in as well and really impressed. He was great at Fylde last weekend.

"There is a real fight for places now – players looking to hold onto their shirt, and good options on the bench – and that is only a good thing."