Sinton calls for professionalism at AFC Telford

Tough taskmaster Andy Sinton is demanding that the AFC Telford United players meet his calls for professionalism – or fall by the wayside.

Sinton hailed a stunning fightback from his part-time outfit as they came from 2-0 down to salvage a point in their Bank Holiday clash at Tamworth yesterday.

But the ex-Wolves and England winger is insisting that the whole squad must act in a professional manner if they are to compete week-in-week-out in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

And he highlighted the case of longest-serving player Carl Rodgers, who was absent for much of pre-season and has not featured in the league so far.

"We started training on June 24 and Carl Rodgers decided to go on holiday on June 24 and missed the first two weeks of training," said Sinton.

"No sooner had he come back than he was at at a wedding and then he picked up an injury, which was no fault of anyone's, so he's only played 45 minutes of football all pre-season.

"You can't come in and play against full-time boys like Lincoln, Luton or Tamworth and do yourself or the team justice with so little football behind you.

"It's an area where I'm asking the players to be more professional," he added.

"People will either buy into my professionalism or they will get left behind."

The Bucks earned a point yesterday thanks to goals from substitutes Nathan Rooney and Alex Meechan after a Kieron St Aimie brace had put the Lambs 2-0 up.

Telford could even have gone on to win it and Sinton was thrilled by the character his side showed against opposition who are riding high in fifth place.

"I was sitting at home thinking that this would be our toughest game yet and so it proved," he said.

"At one stage I was thinking, for the first time this season that the full-time team was going to come out on top, but our inner belief allowed us to claw our way back in the last 20 minutes."

By CHRIS HUDSON