A tale of two strikers for AFC Telford at Hereford

The Bucks will be able to welcome back their eight-goal top scorer Steve Jones tonight, following the completion of a four-match ban.

But they will be lining up against ex-team mate and last season's leading marksman Chris Sharp, following his switch to the Bulls during the festive period.

Sharp, who netted 11 league and four cup goals during the last campaign, made 55 appearances for the Shropshire outfit during his 15-month stay.

His preparation for the start of this season was badly disrupted by a hernia injury picked up in pre-season, which required surgery.

The 26-year-old missed the first 12 games of the campaign as a result before returning on the bench in the home game against Woking at the start of October.

His only goal of the season was a spectacular long-range equaliser at Alfreton later that month, as he struggled to recapture his form from the previous season.

Regarding the prospect of facing Sharp so soon following his £3,000 transfer, Bucks boss Andy Sinton said there were no hard feelings.

But the manager is, of course, hoping his former player does not grab his opening goal for his new club tonight.

Sinton said: "Chris has gone to a full-time club and we wish him well. I will be delighted to see him again but, hopefully, he doesn't really get going on the night.

"We know all about Chris, his strengths, and we will have to combat them and we will get on with it."

Goals aside, Sharp has so far made a promising start at his new club, having played every minute of both games since his arrival.

The new-boy won the match-winning penalty away at Kidderminster Harriers on New Year's Day, which was dispatched by Josh O'Keefe, and was also part of the team that drew 1-1 away at current league leaders Grimsby Town on Saturday.

And Sharp is relishing the move from part-time to full-time football under Martin Foyle.

He said: "Being full-time will help my game massively. That was the main reason for coming – Martin Foyle was a striker himself and has a great goalscoring record to show.

"People that I have spoken to say that he works well with strikers and improves them. I'm really happy to be back full-time and I'll give it a good go here."

Sharp is likely to be one of two former Telford goal heroes in Hereford's squad this evening.

Kyle Perry, who is currently on-loan from Nuneaton Town, spent two spells at the New Bucks Head.

In his first he scored 32 goals in 68 games between 2004 and 2006 before returning last season on loan from Lincoln City.

Perry was an unused substitute in Hereford's 1-1 draw at Grimsby on Saturday and is likely to start tonight's game on the bench.

Another former Buck, Marlon Jackson, who spent time at Telford on loan from former club Bristol City in the early part of last year, will miss the game having been sidelined for most of the season with a hamstring injury.

Telford will enter the game aiming to end an 11-game winless run in the league to lift themselves out of the drop zone.

But Hereford will start the game in 10th spot knowing a decent run this month would propel them to the fringes of the play-offs.