Gloucester v AFC Telford: Hungry Tigers on the prowl this term after returning home

James Rowe’s men are unbeaten after five league games, winning four, to edge AFC Fylde on goal difference (due to a thumping total of 15 goals scored, six more than any rival) at this early stage.

Four wins from their first four games meant Gloucester had made their best start to a campaign in 78 years.

The Tigers were finally checked, dropping their first points of the season last Saturday in a 2-2 draw at Spennymoor – where the visitors almost made it five on the spin, but for a late Moors equaliser.

The return to Meadow Park has been bittersweet for the Tigers, who would surely wish to have fans in the stand now the ambitious club are finally back in Gloucester and flying after 13 years playing away from their home.

Gloucester’s New Meadow Park home boasts a 4G playing surface, which Gavin Cowan’s AFC Telford United must adapt to for tonight’s 7.45pm kick-off. The club spent time at the homes of Forest Green, Cheltenham and Evesham after the flooding of 2007 before finally returning to the refurbished stadium this season.

Former Aldershot No.2 and Canvey Island and Leamington frontman Rowe, 37, was appointed last November after a string of managerial changes at the Tigers, and Gloucester raised eyebrows with some of their off-season business.

Former Shots attacker Matthew McClure, who Rowe was able to attract due to connections at his former club, has been a sensation so far this season.

The 28-year-old left-footed Northern Irishman has six goals in five league games already, including a hat-trick in the 6-1 thumping of Blyth Spartans.

He is ably assisted by Dutch striker Akwasi Asante, the former Shrewsbury Town loanee who has been prolific for Solihull Moors and Chester in recent years. Asante, 28, bagged a dramatic late winner against Chester, who he left in the summer, at the end of October to preserve the Tigers’ winning run.

Midfield trio Kevin Dawson, Ben Morgan and George Carline have all arrived and proved influential additions. Towering stopper Liam Daly marshals the backline alongside former Irish youth international Gavin Gunning, who at 29 brings a host of Football League and Scottish top-flight experience.

The Tigers have a promising young goalkeeper between the sticks. On-loan Manchester City teenager Louie Moulden, 18, is highly rated and enjoying his first experience of senior football. The keeper is son of former City striker Paul.

Gloucester have never bettered a 10th-placed finish in any of the 11 seasons in non-league’s second tier, but look well placed to carry out an assault on at least the play-off places this season.

Some of the Bucks’ promise from the opening weeks of the campaign has ebbed away slightly with Cowan’s men taking just a point from the last nine available – though 10-man Telford took a welcome point against Southport on Saturday.

Midfielder Jack Byrne, who was harshly sent off shortly into the second period for a second bookable offence, remains available for tonight’s clash with a one-match ban set to rule him out of the trip to Darlington on Saturday.

Telford are, however, without the injured Henry Cowans, who has enjoyed an impressive start to the season filling in at wing-back for Brendon Daniels.

A quad injury sustained in training last Thursday is set to see Cowans sidelined for around a month.

Cowan does at least have left-sided flyer Daniels back fit and firing. The influential ex-Port Vale star made his first start in more than a month and netted a fine leveller against Port last time out.