Kevin Wilkin pleased with AFC Telford team togetherness

Although the Bucks chief also felt his side weren’t as attentive as they needed to be in a 1-1 draw that, combined with other results, ended the Bucks’ hopes of automatic promotion...writes Richard Worton

“When you take the lead like we did, with a fantastic goal, a great finish, and you put them on the back foot and manage the game really well until half-time, where they haven’t really had any chances or moments as I recall, then they’re going to come out and open up quickly in the second half, and we were a little bit slow ourselves, with one or two players not quite switched on. I thought they got on top a little bit, when they are kicking towards the home fans and can smell that moment a bit, it’s tough, but I love it when our players stick together as they have and grow back into the game. I felt we finished the stronger and had the better moments.”

The Southern League Premier Central title will now go to one of the leaders, Bedford Town or second-placed Kettering Town. However, a point for Bedford on Saturday will be enough, regardless of how Kettering performs.

The Bucks could finish level on points with Kettering if they slip up and the Bucks defeat Royston Town at the SEAH Stadium, but goal difference in favour of the Poppies is vastly superior, so the Bucks are looking at, at best, a third-placed finish.

That would give them a home semi-final tie on April 30th, likely against Halesowen, although results on Saturday could see them switch places and give the Yeltz home advantage.

Wilkin ruefully admitted that had he found this combination of players earlier, the Bucks could have been looking at a better outcome, but admitted that he couldn’t “turn back the clock”.

“To have progressed as a group and as a team, you’d look at our goals against record now and wonder how we’ve conceded so many. Players have gone in there and done fantastically, and we look better organised and more resilient than we have been.”

Wilkin admitted that planning would now turn to the playoffs, notwithstanding Saturday’s final league game, and with the Yeltz the likely opponents, Wilkin wasn’t reading too much into this result.

“They’re closely matched sides and closely matched players. Both of us would like home advantage, and they’ll be looking to win their final game as we will. We’ll regroup, reflect on today and where we’ve done well and not so well, so that hopefully the next time we meet we come out on the right side of it.”