Boss makes 'living dangerously' admission after AFC Telford win

Relieved boss Kevin Wilkin admitted AFC Telford United were guilty of living a little too dangerously in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Southport.

The Bucks battled back from a goal down to record their third win in four matches and climb up to 15th in the National League North table.

But Wilkin was unhappy with the way his team finished the match as David Ogwuru came close to snatching a stoppage time leveller for the home side.

He explained: “I thought we played well enough today to say that we deserved to win the game. We should have won the game more comfortably, if I'm being really honest.

“We started the game, the first 10 minutes, really poorly, and finished the game not as strongly as I'd like, and maybe lived a little bit dangerously.

“I think they've had a bit of a moment there that the lad will possibly expect to do a bit better in. But maybe you need a little bit to go your way at certain times that we haven't had this season.”

Telford trailed early to Sol Solomon’s fifth minute goal before skipper Alex Fletcher’s first goal of the season, aided by a heavy deflection, brought the scores level just past the half-hour mark.

Louis Moult then bagged a second half winner and the scoreline would have been more emphatic were it not for home keeper Douglass Lukjanciks, who made several big saves.

The Everton loanee denied Jamie Meddows and substitute Kian Ryley and when he was beaten, Jordan Cranston’s shot hit the bar.

“You need to give yourself a cushion when you've been on top,” said Wilkin.

“I think we were pretty dominant with the ball and their goalie in either half has made some fantastic saves.

“You need that bit of a cushion so moments like that don't end up catching you out, and when you don't have it, you're obviously going to be on tenterhooks to the close of the game, and we were exactly that.”

The win was Telford’s second on the spin away from home after last Tuesday’s 1-0 victory at Hereford.

They are back in action next Saturday when they host Spalding United and while Wilkin is encouraged by their form, he knows there is still plenty of work to do.

“As we said, I think after Tuesday, nobody gets carried away with it,” he said.

“It's clearly nice to win any game, and certainly on the road, and certainly when you get two back-to-back.

“They're two very different challenges; having the mental ability to deal with that and come through that is big for those boys in the changing room.

“They need to understand, the challenges were different on Saturday.

“Most of the possession and the passages of the play in either half were for us, but you've got to stick the ball in the back of the net and do it more than the two occasions that we have.”