AFC Telford preview: Players need to step up to fill Dinanga void

The Bucks lost their 23-year-old talisman to Shropshire rivals Shrewsbury Town, with Salop triggering a release clause in the Irish forward’s contract on Wednesday evening.

Wilkin described the sale as ‘gutting’, but believes Telford’s players now have their own chances to kick on with their careers.

“We need to take stock of the situation, obviously with Ricky leaving it creates another void in the squad,” the Bucks boss said. “There are a couple of opportunities now for players to come back into the squad, and it’s important they take them.”

He added: “I’ve had a few lads knock on my door and ask why they aren’t playing more, so whoever we put in needs to step up and be counted on.

“It should now push those in the team to put that extra bit of effort in to keep their place.”

Telford make the short trip to Lye Meadow this weekend to take on an Alvechurch side who have been revitalised in recent weeks under new boss Tim Flowers.

Church have picked up 16 points from the former England-international’s eight games in charge, and the Telford boss is anticipating a challenging afternoon’s work.

“It’ll be a really tough game at a really tough place to go,” Wilkin admitted. “They’re nearly a full-time outfit and I believe they have a hybrid model there which allows them to work with players a lot more closely and there are some really good players there.

“I’d expect them to be in and around the play-offs certainly, and we know it’ll be a tough game on a difficult surface.”

Remembering the meeting between the two sides at the SEAH Stadium earlier this season – a disappointing 1-1 draw in a game the hosts dominated – Wilkin stressed the importance of putting a strong run of form together and building on last weekend’s 2-0 win against Stamford.

“It didn’t quite happen for us against them earlier on this season, and I think it showed we were two fairly closely matched sides,” he recalled. “They’ve got players with a lot of pedigree about them, and they’re players we’re looking forward to coming up against on Saturday.

“We had a fantastic win at home last Saturday and now it’s about us building on that. It’s about doing it game after game, because once you’ve done it once you want to do it twice and so on.

“Our aim and intention is to put a really strong run together, but we know we have to work hard to do that and maintain a settled squad.”

Telford are expected to be without midfield pair Remi Walker, who missed last weekend’s game, and Byron Moore.

Moore, 36, started the Stamford game in his first game since December 21st, but lasted just 40 minutes before having to be replaced by Mansfield Town loanee Jakub Kruszynski.