Shropshire Star

Jamie Allen could be in contention to make first AFC Telford United start

Paul Carden will decide if Jamie Allen is ready to make his first full start on Saturday when his side takes on Darlington at the New Bucks Head.

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The forward made a cameo last weekend when he came on for the last 15 minutes of their 3-1 defeat to Fylde.

And now the boss has said he is in contention for Saturday’s National League North clash.

“We have trained hard this week, and we will see where he is, and look to keep building him up and progressing him,” Carden said when asked if Allen is in contention to start.

“We have had a couple of good training sessions, and he got 15 minutes or so on Saturday which will have helped.

“With the type of player he is, we have to build him up.

“If he was a plodder of a centre-back we could just get him through the game.

“But because he is explosive, and he is strong and quick with high energy.

“You can’t just throw him back in and expect him not to break.

“We need to build that up because of the way he plays.”

Telford have another tough game at the weekend when they take on seventh-place Darlington who have won their last two.

Carden hopes that Allen can help to give his side a creative spark in the final third.

The attacker scored 14 goals in 68 appearances for Southport, and he also netted seven times in 53 outings for Dover.