Darlington v AFC Telford United: Bucks forced to play waiting game over keeper

The shot-stopper was assessed for a medial knee ligament injury sustained last weekend against Brackley, while boss Gavin Cowan is also monitoring the fitness of new loan recruit Kory Roberts, who could be handed his debut in the north east.

Cowan drafted another goalkeeper into training last night as a potential back-up option in case Griffiths is unable to feature at Darlington.

Bucks academy graduate goalkeeper George Scott, meanwhile, was set to extend his loan deal at Shifnal Town but that deal appears to have been cancelled due to Shifnal pursuing another shot-stopper.

Cowan said: “Russ sustained an injury, we don’t know if he’s going to be fit, so we got somebody in just in case.

“Everything is being thrown at us – so of course the goalkeeper is going to go down injured with the way it’s going at the moment.

“We’re assessing him, we’re not sure whether he’ll be fit. We’re having to bring someone in, that’s obviously not great for the backline because they need a bit of a connection, but we’re dealing with it.”

The trip to Blackwell Meadows is rearranged from the opening day after Telford got as far as Leeds before being informed of a Covid-19 issue with their hosts.

It is the first of three lengthy jaunts for the Bucks, who then head to Spennymoor and Boston – in another rescheduled fixture – in the space of 10 days.

Centre-half Roberts, the former Walsall prospect and Midlands-based defender drafted in on loan from Bromley this week, trained for the first time with his new team-mates last night.

The 23-year-old played 26 matches for the National League club last season but has felt himself left out of the reckoning at the London club after a change in manager.

“There was a change of manager who was very honest about how he wanted bigger brute players and he didn’t quite fall into the bracket, that’s how it is. He was playing quite regularly and I spoke to Neil Smith, the previous manager, who can’t speak highly enough of him,” Cowan said.

“He’s an excellent player, maybe suffered a little bit from homesickness and that’s why we were in with a shout of getting him.”

Tomorrow’s hosts the Quakers, who like Telford were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first stage following a replay against Chester, are 18th in the National League North.

Alun Armstrong’s men sit one place above the Bucks and level on four points after just one win from their first six games.

“I watched them against Chester,” Cowan said. “They have pace out wide, are solid and competitive in the middle, solid back four. Any Alun Armstrong team will be technically good. That part of the world knows nothing other than to compete.”