"It was my fault" - Kevin Wilkin reacts to AFC Telford United's first defeat of 2026

Aaron Martin opened the scoring for 17th-place Worksop early on, before Matty Stenson got Telford back on level terms two minutes into the second half with his 22nd goal of the season.

Debutant Oli Greeves restored Worksop's lead 20 minutes from time and bagged his brace deep into stoppage time.

"The start we had was awful. It was my fault," boss Wilkin admitted. 

"I need to get the players up and at it, and make them understand. We were loose and sloppy in that moment and weren't showing maybe the edge that we'd shown for the rest of the game. 

"When you give the opposition what I feel is a bit of an easy start, that was all too easy in that moment. 

"To get in and take the lead on two minutes. I have to take responsibility for that." 

Despite settling into the game after falling behind inside the first 180 seconds, Telford found a way back into the game, albeit to no avail. 

And Wilkin felt that was a major difference between the two teams: Telford didn't take their opportunities, whereas Worksop did. 

"I'm speaking to them in there [the dressing room] and trying to get them focused and concentrated, but we were just loose," he continued. 

"It just happened far too easily. The bit in between, in the next five or 10 minutes, their tails are up. 

"We've had to calm ourselves down and just settle down a little bit. When we did, we were something around 70 per cent possession, which is great, but possession is not winning you the game, is it? 

"Goals are, and credit to Worksop, they've struck the ball in the back of the net, again for a lapse of concentration on our behalf." 

Greeves was particularly clinical and helped himself to two goals to help kill the Bucks off for good. 

That defeat, which ended a run of four wins on the spin, saw Telford drop one-place into ninth. 

Telford had previously made a near flawless start to 2026 - barring a 2-0 home defeat against Yeovil Town in the FA Trophy fifth round. 

They inflicted an 8-0 humiliation on Curzon Ashton and followed that up with further wins against King's Lynn Town, Merthyr Town and Spennymoor Town respectively.

The Bucks also beat Hornchurch in the FA Trophy and have lost just once in their last 13 league games (winning eight, drawing four).

"Obviously we're pushing at the end to try and get up there. We take that bit of a risk and give them a third goal," he added. 

"At that stage, yes, it's disappointing, and you're taking risks, clearly you are. 

"But for the majority of the game, we've passing the ball really well. We could have worked the goalkeeper better because we haven't made him make enough difficult saves if I'm being honest.

"It's brilliant to get yourself back in the game and it makes your team talks difficult when you do well for so long, albeit we have to score more goals."