'I've told them to be positive' - Frustrated boss to his Market Drayton Town players with county derby on horizon

There are five fixtures of the North West Counties First Division South campaign remaining and Drayton must respond from back-to-back defeats to stave off fears of relegation.

The Gingerbread Men were beaten 4-0 at home to high-flying New Mills last Saturday, a scoreline Dawson felt flattered the visitors, who were ruthless as striker Saul Henderson thrashed in a hat-trick.

It came after a tight 1-0 reverse at home to fellow lowly side Cammell Laird last midweek and Town head into the Greenfields clash against Telford five points clear of the bottom two.

"We've got to start creating and taking more chances," Dawson said. "I think we've hit the target two times in 90 minutes, three maybe, we need to make that eight or nine if we need to score the goals in this league.

"I've just spoke to our front four about how we've got to be really positive. A couple of times we've dribbled at players but turned around and played it back instead of getting them on the back foot and driving into the box."

The boss said: "I think we played some really good football and had spells of the game when we were the better side.

"But that doesn't win you games, goals win you games and that was the difference."

Telford have slipped to eighth after a bright start to the season unravelled and former boss Matthew Boswell departed.

Dawson, meanwhile, vowed attacker Josh Beamond is set for more minutes after a bright cameo last time out.

"Josh came on on the right side and was fantastic," he said. "He was the opposite to the others not being direct.

"He looked to get shots off, was selfish at times, that's what we want to see from the frontline. We'll see more of him for sure."