AFC Telford No 1 will feel Young against Macc
AFC Telford goalkeeper Ryan Young insists it will be a privilege to be playing former Football League side Macclesfield Town for the first time.
But the Bucks custodian is undaunted at the prospect of facing the Silkmen, who were plying their trade in League Two last season, or their 21-goal top scorer Matthew Barnes-Homer.
Telford's clash with Macclesfield at the New Bucks Head tomorrow will be the first time they have played the Moss Rose side in their eight-year history.
And, while he appreciates the chance to pit his skills against the best sides at this level, Young will not lose any sleep over facing Steve King's promotion-chasing outfit or their leading scorer.
He said: "It's a privilege to be playing against them and playing in this league but it's just another game of football.
"In this league, there are a lot of good strikers but you have just got to go out there and play the game and not worry about it.
Asked if it added any extra motivation when he comes up against the division's top striker, he added:
"Not really. It's in my head to perform every week and not let anybody down. I don't really care who it is I am up against, I will do my best to keep the ball out."
Barnes-Homer grabbed the limelight earlier this season when his brace helped knock Championship high-fliers Cardiff City out of the FA Cup in January.
Those were his last goals until Wednesday night though when he fired in the winner against Lincoln.
With the Bucks having shipped soft goals in recent games, Barnes-Homer may well fancy his chances of adding to that tally tomorrow.
But Ryan Young was encouraged by some of the defending he saw from the team as a whole in Telford's 1-0 defeat against Mansfield last weekend, and he believes there are signs that they are improving in this area.
He said: "If you defend from the front it makes your job at the back so much easier.
"It's about the whole team defending well and I thought we were a little bit better on Saturday.
"Obviously we lost 1-0 but we looked like we were getting slowly back to where we know we can be."
Telford will start tomorrow's home clash six points from safety at the bottom of the league.
Their opponents still harbour play-off ambitions but are 13 points off the pace.
