Andy Sinton eyes clean sheets after AFC Telford win

AFC Telford United boss Andy Sinton is keen to use a weekend win –and a first clean sheet in 10 games – as a springboard to move away from the Blue Square Premier danger zone.

The Telford manager admitted he was delighted with the way his side ground out three precious points in a 1-0 home win over Braintree on Saturday.

And the weekend success has brought the Bucks a bit of breathing space at the bottom of the table, ahead of a crunch away double header with fellow strugglers Lincoln and Alfreton.

• See pictures from Telford's win over Braintree

Sinton said: "The clean sheet was pleasing. We haven't had enough of those. Clean sheets win you games, people say goals win you games – well you can score four and still get beat.

"If you keep a clean sheet, you can't get beat and that's not being negative. We built on that strength last year by keeping a lot of clean sheets.

"We need to defend from the front and we had a lot of desire to get the result and the clean sheet."

Sinton left out full-back Will Salmon for the clash, recalling Sean Newton, and felt his decision was justified when the left sided man set up Ryan Brooke's winner.

The Bucks boss said: "I left Will out as a tactical move. I wanted Sean back in the side with the way that Braintree play.

"Even though he's a full-back, I felt we could get him on the ball and he could be a threat and what a ball he put in for the goal. It justified that decision."

The manager is keen to keep match-winner Brooke, who only has one game left on his initial loan move from Oldham, at the club.

Sinton said: "Ryan wants to stay and I need to go back to Paul Dickov, the Oldham manager, and see if we can have him on the same basis as we have had."

Ben Futcher, who missed the weekend win through illness, will not be back after his loan spell from Bury expired.

See also:

• AFC Telford 1 Braintree 0 – Match analysis