Boss Rob Smith has backed record scorer Andy Brown to keep banging in the goals for AFC Telford United ahead of tonight’s trip to Northwich Victoria.

Brown, who turns 24 on Monday, took his tally for the season to 14 with a penalty in Saturday’s 3-0 victory at Harrogate Town.

It was also his 34th goal in total for the club, moving him one ahead of £5,000 record signing Lee Moore in the all-time AFC Telford list.

And Smith believes he could stay with the Shropshire club for years, going on to set a much higher target to which future strikers can aspire.

“Andy Brown’s a great player,” said the Bucks chief. “He was struggling with a rib injury at the start of the season and that’s part of the reason why we have not done so well until lately.

“He’s been playing through the pain barrier, but since he’s been fully fit you’ve seen a difference in the team.

“It’s important we keep him fit, and hopefully he’ll stay at the club for years to come and get a lot more goals.

“He’s happy in his job as a full-time teacher, he’s settled in Birmingham and he’s at a great club, so I can see no reason why he’d want to move.”

Meanwhile, Smith has warned the Bucks to take nothing for granted as they prepare to travel to Northwich looking to extend their unbeaten Blue Square North run to six games.

They have won four of the last five, scoring 18 goals in the process, and a win tonight would see them leapfrog Droylsden into the final play-off place.

But Smith expects this to be a tough test, insisting: “They’re a very dangerous side and they’ve got some cracking players.

“We saw at our place (Northwich won 2-1 at the New Bucks Head in September) how well they played, and we are going to have to roll our sleeves up.”

The Vics are likely to include former Telford midfielder Jamie Vermiglio in their line-up.

He was on target in their 4-1 victory over Ilkeston Town on Saturday.