Shropshire Star

Anthony Johnson: Chester will bring the noise to AFC Telford

Joint-Chester boss Anthony Johnson insists that tomorrow’s away following could make the New Bucks Head feel like a home game for the visitors.

Published

In-form Chester are expected to take a healthy crowd for the short trip to Shropshire which sees Gavin Cowan’s Bucks, in 11th, take on the third-placed Blues.

“We know there’ll be a great following and I love it when there is at Telford because that away stand has great acoustics and the players can feel it,” said former Salford boss Johnson.

“Our fans will be making that into a home game for us, no doubt.

“Hopefully we can continue how we have been and do the business and send them home with smiles on their faces.”

Johnson, who manages the visitors alongside Bernard Morley, expects a tough game – although he thinks Telford have lost their ‘two best players’.

“We expect Telford to be like they were last season. They had a slow start but they lost their two best players in the summer in Amari Morgan-Smith and Daniel Udoh, so it takes some times for the new signings to adjust,” said Johnson. “They seem to be doing that now and they’ll be up there at the end of the season because they are a good side.

“Some teams hit their stride later than others but it happens eventually.”

Chester’s one defeat this term came against Spennymoor and Johnson and Morley’s men now have five wins from six, including convincing wins over Guiseley, Curzon Ashton, Hereford and Gloucester.

Bucks boss Cowan was impressed with how his side competed in the draw against fancied Brackley last week and could keep the same side.

Likely Telford XI (4-3-3): Wycherley; White, Sutton, Lilly, Morley; Deeney, Walker, Knights; Dinanga, Williams, Daniels.

Subs: Streete, Royle, Lait, Reilly, Brown.

Prediction: Score draw.