Chairman Lee Carter believes a revitalised AFC Telford United should be aiming to be back in the Blue Square North play-off places by Christmas.

The Bucks had a disappointing start to the campaign, and dropped into the bottom half of the table at one point last month.

But they have shown signs of their old form in recent weeks, keeping six clean sheets in seven outings before last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at home to Lincoln City in the FA Cup.

That brave exit has done nothing to dent confidence, with the Bucks producing a terrific second half performance that deserved greater reward.

And Carter is hoping they can use it to push on up the league – starting with the visit of Vauxhall Motors on Saturday.

“We’d like to get into those play-off positions by Christmas,” he said. “By the time Stafford come here on Boxing Day, we’d like to be there or thereabouts and then give it a good push in 2010.

“We’ve got lions for supporters and lions for players, and we have to show we have that roar in our bellies.

“We’ve got pride and passion, so let’s put it on the field and on the terraces and be positive about what we’re doing because we are heading in the right direction, there’s no doubt about that.”

Carter insists the belief is back in the club – both at Board and player level.

But he admits they have had to work to lift themselves out of the gloom that had blighted their start.

“I think we got sucked into beating ourselves up all the time over every little thing, getting down and criticising ourselves all of the time,” added Carter.

“Hopefully that’s out of our system now, but this football club always seems to be just a couple of wrong footsteps away from a nervous breakdown.”

• l Ex-Telford striker Matty Lewis has linked up with former team-mates Lee Moore and Simon Forsdick at Zamaretto League premier division side Nuneaton Town. Lewis left the Bucks in the summer, signing for their Blue Square North rivals Solihull Moors. He moved on to Atherstone before being released as a cost-cutting measure.

By CHRIS HUDSON