Jamie ready to warm the Hucknall bench

Tenacious midfielder Jamie Vermiglio returns to the fray for AFC Telford United's match at bottom-of-the-table Hucknall tomorrow - but the 26-year-old admits that he would not blame manager Rob Smith for leaving him on the bench.

Vermiglio has recovered from a groin strain in time to make the journey to Watnall Road but is unlikely to start with Carl Rodgers proving a more than adequate replacement in central midfield.

"I think I'll be on the bench because the lads don't need me at the minute," said primary school teacher Vermiglio. "I'm happy to do that though - that's what you have to do at times.

"Carl Rodgers is doing very well at the moment so I don't think I'll be replacing him. He's been one of our best players and I'm made up for him because he's had his own injury problems.

"But it doesn't have to necessarily be me or him playing, we may be able to forge a partnership together.

"We played together at the start of last season and did well together."Vermiglio returns to contention after a fortnight sidelined which forced him to miss Telford's big night out in Southend in the FA Cup.

"It was awful," he continued. "I was lucky to be able to play in the first game and was really geed up for the replay.

"I've never played against decent opposition in a decent stadium, so it was a big blow.

"Lee Carter (Bucks chairman) was great though - he paid for a supply teacher at my school so that I could go down and watch and I was able to be named a substitute as you can have seven in the FA Cup.

"I was kicking every ball and winning every header - all the usual cliches - but it was painful."

The Bucks take on a Hucknall side who are yet to win on home soil and have scored a pitiful six goals in eight outings, but former Scarborough man Vermiglio knows that Telford's recent good form will once again be up for scrutiny.

"You can't take anything for granted against anyone," he said. "If you go to sleep just for a minute then the opposition can score.

"We know that anything less than promotion would be a failure this season. We're still a few points off top so we need to keep this going."