AFC Telford defender after a double over Luton pal

The last meeting against tomorrow's Blue Square Premier visitors Luton in August at Kenilworth Road yielded a 1-0 win that sticks in most Bucks fans' minds.

Not only did the victory coincide with Salmon's 100th appearance for the Bucks, but it also gave him bragging rights over best friend and Hatters striker Scott Rendell.

Both players had also exchanged banter in the build-up to the fiery clash, which was decided by Kieron St Aimie's first-half header and saw three players sent off late on.

But, with Telford currently struggling towards the wrong end of the table and Luton failing consistently to hit the heights predicted in pre-season, Salmon admitted the build-up to tomorrow's game has been less jovial.

Telford will start the day just one point above the relegation zone, having won none of their last seven Blue Square Premier games, while pre-season title favourites Luton were thumped 5-2 at current leaders Newport County last time out.

Salmon said: "I have spoken to Scott about the game and we are both looking forward to it. He is looking to get one back on me and I did give him some stick after the last game between us.

"I'm sure he would have given me plenty had it been the reverse result! But, at the moment, I haven't got much banter going because we have been on a poor bit of form and we need to rectify that as soon as possible.

"We need to get back on track and it's very similar to Luton, who lost against Newport a couple of weeks ago, although they got back to winning ways in the FA Trophy."

Salmon accepts that he and his team-mates will once again be underdogs against Paul Buckle's high-fliers, who will start the day in fifth place in the table.

But the full-back believes the memory of the Bucks' shock 1-0 win over Luton earlier in the season will provide extra motivation and encouragement that they can once again make a mockery of the odds.

He said: "We know what can happen in football. When you least expect a win it can happen and that is what we will be looking to do.

"We played really well at Kenilworth Road against arguably the best side in the league, so we have proved we can do it."

But Salmon admitted the players are aware that supporters will be demanding action, not words, as the team aim to bounce back from last Saturday's shock 3-1 FA Trophy defeat at lower-league King's Lynn.

He said: "We know we let the club down, the supporters and the manager and we need to stop talking the talk and really make it happen."

Telford have no new fitness worries going into the game, although centre-back Jordan Rose is still carrying a niggling Achilles injury.

But they will be without top scorer Steve Jones, who will begin a four-game ban on Saturday following his sending-off last weekend.

Meanwhile, Luton are hopeful that their in-form striker Andre Gray will be fit, having picked up a calf problem during last weekend's 2-1 FA Trophy win over Matlock.

The 21-year-old forward has scored five goals in his last five games, but was taken off during the first-half.