Boston v Telford preview

The Bucks are back in National League North action tomorrow, heading to Boston United, and a clean sheet is very much on the agenda, writes Joe Edwards.

So does Cowan stick with the man who saw them through to the FA Trophy semi-finals by clawing away Adi Yussuf’s stoppage-time spot-kick at Solihull Moors?

Or does England Under-19 international Josef Bursik, who is on loan from Stoke and was cup-tied for the 2-1 Damson Park triumph after playing for Hednesford Town in the competition earlier this term, return to the starting XI?

Well, Wycherley could have hardly done any more to boost his prospects of being back between the sticks in the league.

Keeping his nerve to get down low and deny Yussuf from equalising with the last kick of the game, it was a display of character which would have impressed Cowan greatly.

And there will undoubtedly be more high-pressure situations as Telford aim to grab a play-off spot.

Bursik has been making a few mistakes as of late in the league as well. In each of the Bucks’ last three league games on the road, the 19-year-old has let in three goals.

He made goal-costing errors in the loss at Stockport County and the win at Ashton United, prompting Cowan to urge him to sharpen up.

But he clearly has a lot of talent – he plays for England for a reason – and will be desperate to right those wrongs.

And it seems Cowan, who sees Wycherley as a long-term project, will go with Bursik for the trip to Lincolnshire.

“Yes, of course, with the games he has come in for,” said Cowan on Wycherley staking a claim.

“For Andy, it’s a bit of process. There’s a bigger picture which he trusts me on, he understands that, but it illustrates how far we have come.

“We were excited to have him back in the team, we were very confident.

“We weren’t thinking we were having to bring in a No.2 goalkeeper. We’re fortunate to have two No.1s.”

Going into the encounter, Telford are sixth in the table, with two wins, two losses and a draw from their last five games.

The Pilgrims are 10th with three wins and two losses from their last five.

The Bucks won the reverse fixture in November 1-0, with skipper Shane Sutton on the scoresheet.

And Boston come into the clash on the back of a 4-1 loss at Chester.

Their boss, Craig Elliott said: “You’ve got to take it on the chin. It is what it is.

“We’ve lost 4-1. You can’t dress it up.

“I think we need to try to bulk the squad up as some players are maybe getting a little bit complacent.

“They need to know they’re under pressure a little bit more.

“We want to go get one or two more in for a bit of size and physicality as we lack that a lot.

“We’re going to be tested and we’ve got to try to get the victory at home.”