Plenty to ponder for AFC Telford United following first defeat of season

Wilkin felt his side ‘gifted’ an early lead to Bedford, and their efforts to recover fell short against an Eagles side who, like the Bucks, were promoted from the Southern League Premier Central last season.

Wilkin’s feeling that his side has been a slow starter in games wasn’t dispelled by what he witnessed, with former Buck Ellis Brown pouncing on an error by defender Jid Fridye-Harper.

“It's obviously a disappointing start. You can't afford cheap moments like the one five minutes into the game. It's a routine sort of moment that really is a gift for them. They're in a bit of a comfort zone there, and have got something to hang on to and defend, and we didn't compete very well in the first half. I thought we again made poor decisions at certain times, and I think they had the lion’s share of the better moments.”

Wilkin didn’t call out Fridye-Harper specifically, and the right-back was one of several players who endured a tough evening against a Bedford side who showed greater desire and intensity, too often leaving the Bucks second best in terms of physicality.

“I think we had a moment there where Ola (Lawal) goes close and opens up a decent moment, but I thought they were better on first contacts, second contacts and were stronger. It took me getting in at halftime and maybe leaving a little bit on one or two, and we did come out with more purpose and competed better in the second period.”

Whether the Eagles tired or paced their efforts, feeling they were in control, is a matter for debate; however, after barely threatening in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half, their top scorer, Tyrone Marsh, punished the Bucks with a direct free kick from twenty-five yards.

It was another moment where Wilkin felt his side should have done better, but a red card for the hosts’ Jack McDowell, for a clash with Matty Stenson, offered the Bucks a way back. They responded, with Stenson cutting the deficit, but then conceded a penalty, which Marsh converted, before Marsh himself was dismissed, for a second bookable offence.

“We give what I would say is a soft goal, and at two-nil down, you have got a real mountain to climb then. We give ourselves a lifeline getting a goal back, they're reduced to ten men, and there's enough time left still to go and take something. We had a bit of momentum, but there were some difficult decisions (by referee Richard Wharton) that I think have helped them, but sometimes that's what happens when you're away from home; you don't get the decisions you want. It's not a corner, and it's not a penalty, but look, you have to get on with that and deal with it and get over it.”

The hosts, whose manager, Lee Bircham, watched the game from a video gantry as he served a touchline ban, saw one of his assistants, Tony Joyce, also receive a red card for words spoken to the officials. Wilkin felt that three dismissals for the Eagles were somewhat harsh.

“I'm not sure if it’s that sort of game, if I'm being really honest, but that doesn’t help us. We've got to focus on what we do and do the things that we can, better. We've got to compete better. We've got to be more physical. We've got to be prepared to be braver and nastier, and obviously we can't give such cheap moments away and expect to come out with points.”

The Bucks’ defeat dashed hopes of making it a day of good news arriving in threes. Wilkin’s contract extension was followed by the announcement that Ricardo Dinanga had returned to the Bucks on loan from Shrewsbury Town, and the forward made a second debut as a second-half substitute at The Eyrie.

Supporters welcomed Dinanga’s return, but the question of whether the Bucks might seek defensive reinforcements remains as yet unanswered.

“We've got good numbers in the group at the moment. There are a couple more still to come back, but certainly, giving us a bit more cover there might be something that we have to look at. Look, it's one game. There have been glimpses of it in the two previous games, where we've got to be more focused and concentrated at certain times, and understand the game a little bit better. There are a lot of boys making the step up, and they will make mistakes. We certainly made mistakes tonight. It's frustrating, it's difficult, and I don't like those moments and situations when they're unforced errors, but I put the boys out there. That’s for me to deal with, rectify and try to do our best to put it right.”