AFC Telford United preview: Bucks fearless ahead of visit to table-topping Hereford

Kevin Wilkin says he will instruct his Telford players to take the game to table-topping Hereford this evening in their National League North clash at Edgar Street.

The Bucks have picked up four points from their last two games at the SEAH Stadium - a win against Darlington and a draw against Hebburn - but now hit the road to take on The Bulls.

Aaron Downes’ side have started the season well, but Wilkin insisted his side are confident they have what it takes to topple them.

“They’ve had a fantastic start and we know they've got that bit of momentum at the moment,” he said. “It’s never an easy place to go, and with the form they find themselves in there will be plenty of confidence that they’ll have off the back of being top of the league.

“It’s going to be a really tough game for us, but we’re looking forward to it, especially after the last couple of strong performances we’re had.

“We've been really competitive pretty much throughout the course of the season, and haven't won as many games as probably we deserve to do, but that is the step forward that we need to take.

“It'll be a real big challenge for us on Tuesday night, but we have to look forward to it, and if we can go out there and apply ourselves in a way that I know we're capable of, I'd like to think we'll give ourselves a chance.”

Despite their lofty league position however, Wilkin was quick to shut down suggestions that the visit to Edgar Street was a ‘free hit’ fixture for his side.

“I don't think you can view it that way,” he said. “They've had a fantastic season and have changed lots of things around after a tough, tough season last season, but they have recruited really well through the summer, and it's always a difficult place to go.

“We look forward to it, and I don't view it as a free hit. We want to go there, be competitive, and try and ask questions of Hereford.

“The change of shape on Saturday certainly helped us manage the ball in a better way and we want to do the same again. We want to be brave on the ball and I want to encourage our players to be that little bit more aggressive in possession.”

That formation change saw Telford revert to the 4-3-3 system that served them so well last season, having spent much of this season playing with three central defenders and wing backs.

“I just think with the personnel that we’ve got that it suits us a lot more,” the Bucks boss explained. “With the back three come back five you can find yourselves backed up a little bit, and when you’re struggling to get out you can invite the opposition onto you a lot more.

“I’m not a big fan of that, I’d rather trust the players to manage the ball well in certain positions.”