Shropshire Star

Paul Carden: Lack of leadership is costing AFC Telford

Angry Paul Carden has questioned the lack of leadership at AFC Telford following the dismal 3-1 defeat at York City.

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The Bucks remain second bottom in the National League North after their third defeat on the spin.

A series of individual errors gave the visitors a mountain to climb with the Telford boss singling out captain and goalkeeper Russell Griffiths for specific criticism.

"The goals are soft, I've question-marked Russ (Griffiths), definitely the second, definitely the third and it's too often," fumed Carden.

"He has got to hold his hands up because tonight he's had one to forget.

"He's made similar mistakes recently and he's big enough to take them.

"He wants to be captain, he wants to be the main man at the club.

"Russ is 6ft 3in and needs to defend his own area better.

"He gets my praise when it's deserved, but he'll have to come under it when he's made mistakes that have cost us.

"I'm not one for digging people out in public, but we need to realise where we're at and people need to step up and be accountable."

Carden feels Telford would not be staring relegation in the face if there was more leadership from within the club.

"We've got to have more drive about us - at half time it's silence in there.

"If we had a dressing room full of leaders we wouldn't be second from bottom.

"We wouldn't be making the same mistakes over and over again.

"We'd be demanding more from each other in certain instances, so if someone makes a mistake, it certainly wouldn't be happening again.

"I scratch my head at times, because the mistakes we're making are from experienced players and we've got to quickly eradicate them.

"I'm angry because we haven't given ourselves a chance."

Telford travel to fourth-placed Fylde on Saturday, desperately searching for a much-needed win.