AFC Telford United boss proud of reaction from his squad options as stunning form goes on

The Bucks' stunning form continued on Tuesday night with an impressive 2-0 win in the north east at mid-table Spennymoor Town, to lift Wilkin's troops within one place and point of National League North play-off spots.

Second-half goals from Remi Walker and substitute Charlie Williams sealed the victory.

Wilkin was particularly satisfied as Williams shrugged off disappointment at missing out in Saturday's FA Trophy exit to Yeovil to emerge from the bench for a lively cameo and clinching second goal.

“Charlie going on and showing a good response after not getting on the field on Saturday, which he was disappointed about - yes, it's a nice moment for us," Wilkin said.

“I've said for a little while now, (that) how well we're doing in the division will be about, obviously, the frontline players that are playing consistently every week,

"But equally about players that get off the bench and are able to have an effect, and it's nice when subs get off and apply themselves.

"They've all done pretty well when they've found themselves in that disappointment of not starting the game or not getting as many minutes as they’d want, and really taking whatever window of opportunity you're offered and making the most of it.”

Victory for the eighth-placed Bucks was a ninth in 11 in all competitions - with just one league defeat in that period, while hamstrung with availability at in-form Kidderminster.

For Walker his opener 10 minutes after the interval was a 12th goal of the campaign and fellow attacker Williams, 21, got off the mark in National North action having netted in the FA Trophy earlier in the season.

“Spennymoor are tough to break down, but we managed the ball pretty well, and I think we ramped it up a notch in the second half, and probably should have scored before we did," Wilkin said.

"Remi's done brilliantly to give us the lead, and when you get yourself in the lead, it's how you then craft the win off the back of that.”

For the tireless Bucks it was a sixth game in 18 days, which brought extra kudos to the victory at Spennymoor in what was a 400-mile round trip for his part-time side.

Wilkin had referenced how the trip to Spennymoor could see the Bucks back in Telford at 3.30am at the earliest, with players then to make onward journeys home.

“That's where we need to try and gain a little bit and make sure the players are resting," Wilkin explained. "Those who haven't done so much tonight, we have to trust that they're going to go out and do a little bit themselves, so it's a bit of a mixed bag.

"But the lads have been disciplined to this point, and hopefully they will be, as we goon to the end of the season.”

“You speak to the lads and just find out how they are, and hope they're honest with you.

"If there were signs of us looking a bit jaded, clearly, we'd have done something about it, but I don't think that there was too much evidence of that.”