Big-match preview: AFC Telford only focused on the win in huge clash at Kettering Town

As the Southern Central Premier title race continues to heat up, Telford know victory over table-toppers Kettering could see them hit the summit with six games left.

And after a season of unexpected results throughout the division, the Bucks boss is keen to make sure his side leave nothing to chance against the Poppies.

“Certainly we’re going there to win the game, and I’m sure they’ll be the same,” Wilkin asserted. “Although we lost the last encounter I feel like we’re in a better place, but there are no guarantees with that, and the topsy-turvy nature of this division means we can only focus on one game at a time.”

He added: “We’ll focus on going there and winning and not getting overawed by the situation, but we’ll only truly know the size of this game when we get to the end of the season.

“If we can get a win it will, I guess, be a massive pointer towards what the outcome of the league ends up being.”

For Telford to be within touching distance of Kettering at this stage of the season can be considered something of a surprise given the positions both sides found themselves in after the Poppies’ 3-1 win in the reverse fixture in November.

The Bucks sat five points behind their opponents having played one game more than them that evening, with that gap having been closed to a single point after 35 games.

And Wilkin hinted that there could be more pressure on tomorrow’s hosts given the advantage they have conceded over the last three months.

“Possibly (the pressure is on them) because they’re at home, and we have to respect that, but we’re two evenly-matched sides,” he said. “We’ve evolved a lot since we last played them and I’m hoping we continue to learn off the back of a victory.

Wilkin continued: “Is it make or break for us? Probably not, because there are plenty of points to play for after Saturday, but that said both teams will feel that it is a massive game and how much it ends up impacting each club’s season remains to be seen.”

And with the fixture falling on ‘Non-League Day’ the Telford boss passionately called for as many supporters as possible to make the trip to Northamptonshire to back the Bucks.

“We’re very grateful to all the supporters we’ve got, and hopefully we have lots come over on Saturday to get behind us,” he said. “I know the players are wanting to go there and perform for the supporters because they’ve been great all season, and we want nothing more than to enjoy the afternoon all together.”

On the team news front, Telford face an anxious wait over the fitness of defenders Sam Whittall and Oliver Cawthorne, who both only took part in light training on Tuesday evening, but look set to be boosted by the return of experienced-midfielder Jimmy Armson.