AFC Telford United preview: Kevin Wilkin insists Bucks must be at their best on tricky Oxford City surface
Kevin Wilkin has admitted his side need to be ready for a very different challenge as they head to Oxford City this evening.
The Bucks picked up a hard-fought and well-deserved point on the road at league leaders South Shields on Saturday, and now face an all together different test against a Hoops side fighting to stay in step two and currently sat in 21st place.
For Wilkin's side, backing up the positive performance and point they earned from their trip to the north east is crucial, and the Telford boss is under no illusions that this game against a struggling Oxford side is must win.
"On their own patch and on a 3g surface it will be a much different challenge," Wilkin said. "They will understand those things better than we can and I do think teams gain a big advantage from being at home on a 3g surface and that's something we've got to keep adapting to.
"The challenge for us is to make sure we approach the game in exactly the same way, we need to make sure our mental state is exactly where it needs to be and we need to be able to go there, work hard and win the game.
"If we want to be in contention for the play-offs then clearly we need to be picking up points at places like Oxford.
"That said it never runs true to form and different games bring different challenges, and as a group we have to understand that and help the players get through that as best we can.
"We'll be taking nothing for granted. I know Oxford aren't in the position they would have wanted to be in and they certainly won't be easy to overcome, they'll be scrapping and battling to put the points on the board that they need to and it should make for an entertaining game."
Telford will be sweating on the fitness levels of a number of star players after a taxing week, but will be pleased to welcome top scorer Matty Stenson back into the fold after the 31-year-old served his two-match suspension in the 2-2 draws with Chorley and South Shields.
Jordan Cranston will miss the next two fixtures after he, like Stenson, hit ten yellow cards for the season, while there is fresh concern around David Solademi after he was withdrawn early on Saturday.
"It's disappointing for him," Wilkin said. "He's obviously already spent a lot of time on the side-lines and the fact that the injury isn't getting right is a bit of a concern.
"It's a reoccurrence of what he's struggled with previously and I need to speak with him to see what we can do to help him with the situation."
Wilkin also gave little to encourage supporters about the chances of midfielder Khanya Leshabela and full back Ammar Dyer, who were absent at South Shields.
Leshabela is likely to be missing for the foreseeable future with a hamstring injury, while Dyer failed a fitness test before Saturday's game after reporting an issue with his ankle.
