Bucks need to start turning promise into maximum points

Kevin Wilkin’s side could have dominated this game but didn’t make a strong enough case to earn all three points. 

They were certainly worth the one point they did secure, but the feeling persists that they are coming up short, and certainly where it counts: points.

A slack 15-minute spell at the start of the second half was the Bucks’ undoing, giving Southport a route back that never should have been opened up to them. 

Two goals in five minutes turned a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 lead and left the Bucks needing to show their resilience once again.

Going behind clearly stung Wilkin’s side; whilst it’s clearly positive that they turned their indignation into Matty Stenson’s 13th goal of the season, even their most positive followers are being tested by their inability to truly get to grips with the demands of Step 2 football.

In bursts, the Bucks can be enterprising, energetic and effervescent. The frustration is that they frequently don’t turn those spells of dominance into dominant positions on the scoreboard.

Defensively, and without the ball, they are mainly up to the mark; alas, mainly is a little below the required level.¶

In short, something is missing, and the finger points towards experience. Wilkin tries to impress upon his team that to thrive at this level, and not merely survive, it’s often about knowing what to do, and when, and just as importantly, knowing what not to do.

The Bucks’ cause on the day wasn’t aided by the need to make changes to the defensive unit with Oliver Cawthorne serving a one-match ban, meaning Jordan Piggott was paired with Jordan Cranston.

But four minutes in, and all was well in Wilkin’s world. The Bucks’ positive start earned an early lead when Dylan Allen-Hadley used his speed to good effect. 

The winger closed quickly on Sam Minihan, and the full-back struck the ball off Allen-Hadley, who chased the rebound, touched the ball past Dylan Dwyer, and crossed low, finding Remi Walker. A touch to control and a second to finish secured Walker’s ninth goal of the season.

The signs were good. Telford didn’t tear into the visiting Sandgrounders, but their patient probing was creating the better openings. 

Walker just failed to thread Stenson through to shoot, and a counterattack led by Charlie Williams ended with keeper Chris Renshaw’s legs blocking Walker’s attempt.

Alex Fletcher almost prompted a goal with a determined run and pass to Allen-Hadley, who just failed to find Stenson with a backheel. 

In some ways, it’s possible to say that the Bucks’ apparent control of matters led to what followed in the second half. Playing as they had, surely the second goal would come, and that would be that? 

Unfortunately, what you think is on the cards isn’t how they’re dealt.

The Bucks showed a vulnerability down the centre at Radcliffe and a Chris Sze run had to be halted by Josh Gracey’s slide to grab the ball off his toes.

They’d survived a couple of Southport thrusts, but a third was to be their undoing. Danny Lloyd’s low ball from the left found Sonny Hilton, who carried the ball into the box, pulled it  back to McKenzie, who struck it left-footed to Gracey’s top-right corner. 

A feeling that the Bucks’ good work had been undone was about to get considerably worse.

Within five minutes, the Sandgrounders had the lead when Sze swivelled to rifle a debut goal high into the net.

But the hosts didn’t sulk, and their annoyance at themselves brought a quick response.

Only two minutes had passed when a purposeful run and cross from Dyer earned a corner. 

Stenson followed Walker’s far post delivery and looked favourite to head home, but a hefty shirt-tug from Jordan Keane hauled Stenson down. 

Stenson took the ball, and although Renshaw guessed correctly and got down to his right to save the spot-kick, his parry put the ball back into the striker’s path for a second bite, one he was always going to take.

Stenson wheeled away to celebrate matching Andy Brown’s record haul of 56 AFC-era goals.

With half-an-hour to play, the game was finely poised, and although it was the hosts who made the more concerted efforts to find a winner.

Telford went close when Adan George fired the ball too high to find Renshaw’s top right corner.

Teddy Lavelle then turned provider, but for the Bucks. The midfielder’s loose pass across the pitch went straight to George, but with Stenson on a defender’s shoulder and demanding the pass, George instead swayed and swerved before firing a shot high and wide. 

The full-time whistle brought a mixed reaction. The Bucks’ up-and-down performance reflects where they are overall, learning as they go, with a young and exciting group learning the hard way.

Being able to dig deep is a positive, but dig too much, and you might find yourself in a hole, and that appears to be the danger for the Bucks right now.

Wilkin has put his trust in youth and his ability to nurture them. They could do themselves a favour by avoiding an unnecessary acceleration of that process in a high-stakes relegation fight.

AFC Telford United (4-3-3): Gracey, Dyer, Meddows, Cranston, Piggott, Fletcher, Walker (George 70), Leshabela, Williams (Hilton 70), Stenson (Lawal 85), Allen-Hadley (Armson 85). Subs not used: Fridye-Harper, Ikpakwu.