Boss Andy Sinton has told in-form AFC Telford United to treat struggling Gainsborough Trinity with respect tonight, warning: “We cannot afford to be complacent.”

The Bucks come off the back of a stunning 3-0 win away at play-off hopefuls Guiseley ahead of this evening’s clash at home to former Aston Villa chief Brian Little’s side.

Gainsborough are just two places above the relegation zone but Sinton does not expect them to be mere cannon fodder for the buoyant Bucks.

“Saturday was excellent – it was a convincing win and a clean sheet against arguably one of the best sides in the league,” he said.

“The downside of that is that people will look at that and think Gainsborough are fourth or fifth bottom so it will be easy – but these games are sometimes the hardest games.

“Their manager Brian Little is a wily old fox and he knows what we did to them earlier in the season.

“We have got to be fully focused and guard against complacency.

“Their away record is better than their home record and we have to take the game on its merits.”

Sinton is still looking to add a player with Football League experience to his ranks and is close to sealing a loan deal to the end of the season.

But that is now unlikely to go through ahead of tonight’s clash, with the Telford chief set to name a near-unchanged squad.

Centre-back Stuart Whitehead is available again but may struggle to break back into the starting line-up, with loan signing Mark Preece from Mansfield having impressed on his debut.

• Title favourites Alfreton pulled three points clear of the Bucks last night, coming from behind to win 2-1 at Worcester and move a point behind leaders Nuneaton with seven games in hand.
• Fifth-placed Solihull Moors extended their unbeaten league run to 15 games with a 5-0 win at Droylsden.