“I’m as frustrated as anybody because we need him on the field" - AFC Telford boss on star striker

The Bucks boss called on his star striker from the bench to rescue them at Bedford Town on Saturday with a late double strike.

But Stenson - who was playing his first minutes of the year - continues to struggle with injury, meaning his participation is doubt again.

“We wanted to start Matty (against Bedford), but he wouldn’t have got through the game, and even afterwards he was saying he’s feeling his calf," said Wilkin. “I’m as frustrated as anybody because we need him on the field, and his goals have proved exactly why.”

Stenson replaced starting striker Reece Styche after 66 minutes - the former-Gibraltar international’s second consecutive start.

Wilkin commented: “Reece has been out of the side for a while, and we’ve asked him to come in and lead the line in Matty’s absence.

“Naturally people will compare him to Matty in terms of who does what and where, and Reece is obviously towards the latter end of his career but still showing a great attitude."

Ricardo Dinanga was also on target on Saturday, with Wilkin full of praise for the tricky wideman.

“Bedford clearly did their homework on Ricardo because he was doubled up on and had very little time or space to play with,” he explained. “We didn’t get the ball to him quick enough in that first half which would’ve allowed him to exploit the space, and that allowed them to double up and deny him grass, or plastic, to run into.”

Wilkin added: “We moved the ball quicker and with more purpose in the second half and that meant he was in one v one situations a lot more, which he caused havoc with.

“He scored a great goal, and then when you’ve got Matty Stenson coming off the bench he’s always going to have a really good effect on us."