Skipper Stuart Whitehead is rallying AFC Telford United for a gruelling game of catch-up as they prepare to host King’s Lynn tomorrow.

The Bucks must now play at least two games every week for the rest of the season – a task that will make it all the harder for them to be successful in their pursuit of leaders Gateshead.

They go into tomorrow’s clash against the men from East Anglia nine points adrift of the front-runners, but with four games in hand. But Whitehead, 32, insists they will have to work hard to improve on the 1-1 draw they got at King’s Lynn back in January.

“It was a battle at their place but they’ve got some good players and they don’t lose too many games,” he said.

“They haven’t won as many as they would like but they’re the draw specialists of the league and they’re going to be a tough team to break down.

“We’ve got to be on our mettle because we’re a few points behind the leaders now and we’re playing catch-up.

“We’ve really got to churn the results out week-in-week-out now if we’re going to be contesting the title.

“I know we have games in hand on Gateshead but I’d rather have the points on the board because it’s going to be a tough ask and we’re going to have a lot of tired players for the next few weeks.”

Whitehead knows consistency will be the key if the Bucks are to still be in the hunt to be champions going into the final few games of the season.

“The cups take care of themselves and we’ve produced the goods so far in the FA Trophy and the Setanta Shield,” he added.

“But in the league we’ve had some good results and then stuttered a bit and we can’t afford to do that any more.

“Having said that, we’ve scored nine goals in our last two league games (beating Vauxhall Motors 5-1 at home and Hyde 4-0 away) and we know what we have to do to to be in with a chance.”

By CHRIS HUDSON