A full range of emotions in AFC Telford's start

Upon their return to the non-league top table, the Bucks have provided fans with the whole range of emotions.

If that's only the first three games, I hate to think how I am going to be feeling after another 41, writes Rob Hughes.

Still without a win in the opening three fixtures, by next Monday, that could potentially be five without a win.

That is scary, particularly with how we started against Welling when we looked the better side until the dismissals.

After a first half horror show at home to Macclesfield on Tuesday, we turned in a performance worthy of a standing ovation.

That's despite ending in defeat, then our 'Super Sunday' turned into a nightmare, as we conceded for the second time in five days, inside the opening five minutes – and failed to recover.

The new signings certainly haven't had an easy time adapting to life in a Bucks' shirt, but all have offered glimpses of what they have got to offer.

And those glimpses are what is making Liam Watson's job as Telford manager hard.

He has to select the best team, the best formation that will cut out individual errors in games, ensure we play at a high tempo, that he prides his sides on, whilst also getting results.

It's getting results that is proving the most difficult at the moment. On Sunday, Phenix and Poku came back into the side immediately after serving their one game bans.

In honesty, both had to start after the effect they had whilst they were on the field at Welling United.

I personally thought their presence in the team Tuesday night could have lead to a victory, despite the quality of those playing in that game. That was the difficulty, who was to make way for their return.

Watson was in something of a no-win situation with supporters, Sean Cooke and Jordan Deacey both having promising hours, Deacey the first hour before fading, Cooke starting slowly but finishing the game well.

Add into the mix – Sean Clancy vying for a start in his favoured wide left role after impressing in his 30 minute cameo at the end - and the options Watson has at his disposal, especially in those areas gives him something of a dilemma.

Accommodating all of those, you were always going to be looking at Sam Smith as the starter up front on his own.

Unfortunately, Sam Smith was very much isolated and even with his best efforts, he was unable to feed off the scraps. Struggling to bring the others into play.

Very little of this was actually his fault. The quality of ball forward was not the best for him – and the distance it had travelled meant little support got forward quickly enough to supplement Bucks' attacking play.

This meant the ball was back on the defence much sooner than they would have wanted.

When Godfrey Poku settled into things after the break (he was making his home competitive debut for the club) we were a lot more composed and looked a lot stronger defensively.

Part of that was down to Poku's composed use of the ball, rather than the launching it early, we had seen all too often in the first period.

For large periods of the game we weren't troubled defensively. Steve Akrigg is bringing out the best in Neill Byrne, but Akrigg is still finding his way back into things after more than seven months out with a shoulder injury.

Things are not going to be perfect straight away. But the longer the Bucks go without a win, the locals are going to become restless.

If performances replicate the heart and desire of Tuesday night, supporters will be less concerned.

The commitment was there to be seen, they had something to cling to, many didn't feel that was evident on Sunday afternoon.

A couple of positions could ideally be tweaked ahead of the Bristol Rovers-Southport double header next Bank Holiday weekend.

Whether that includes any additions to the squad or sees the return to fitness of Rod McDonald and Chris Lever or the involvement of Andy Todd and Josh Hancock in the matchday squad, only time will tell.

One thing for certain is thaat Watson will be working round the clock to ensure we are harder to beat on Saturday and also that we enough going forwards to grasp the mantle.

Come on Telford! We're in this league on merit. It's now time to show it! We have no one to fear in this league, but ourselves. United! United! United!