Sean Cooke handed chance for AFC Telford
AFC Telford United manager Liam Watson is likely to unleash winger Sean Cooke for tonight's first home game of the season.
Former Football League club Macclesfield Town are the first visitors to the New Bucks Head, with Telford just promoted to the Conference Premier.
Cooke is the leading contender to replace the suspended Mike Phenix out wide, just ahead of Josh Hancock, after a strong pre-season for the Bucks.
One-match bans for Phenix and Godfrey Poku, both dismissed in Saturday's opener at Welling United, have opened up two places for Hancock and full-back Wes Baynes.
Charlie Barnett is likely to come into midfield to replace Poku alongside Mike Grogan, while player-coach Andy Todd is also pushing for a place on the bench.
Watson is also considering whether he prefers Tony Gray to Adam Farrell in attack, with Sam Smith likely to keep his place up front.
The Telford boss said: "I left two players out of the squad on Saturday along with Andy, so it's fairly obvious they will come in.
"I just thought Kristian Platt had been better than Wes in pre-season, despite him being such a regular at right-back. It hasn't quite come off for Josh yet.
"Sean is the one player who deserved an explanation about being on the bench, he's done well and perhaps deserved to get his chance.
"Andy is the one player I could have used on the bench on Saturday, simply just for the legs he provides with us two men down.
"I felt like I owed it to Adam Farrell for him to lead the line, after all of the goals he got for us last season. That's no reflection on Tony and it was a difficult decision.
"Sam ran his socks off for the best part of an hour at Welling, up there on his own after the two sendings off."
Macclesfield come to Shropshire having started their campaign on a winning note, beating Braintree 1-0 at Moss Lane through Chris Holroyd's first-half goal.
Watson said: "I've had a report on that game and I am told it was quite close, but they will be full of confidence tonight after a win.
"But with the fighting spirit we showed not to get beat at Welling, so will we. If we put the same sort of application in tonight, we should do well."
