Gavin Cowan: Keep your Telford heads amid 'mayhem'

The Bucks kept their play-off hopes in their own hands with a point at lowly Hereford, securing through Shane Sutton's second-half goal.

Telford started the day below rivals Blyth Spartans on goal difference but went a point clear in seventh with the draw in a physical contest, where five home players were booked.

Cowan said: "It was always going to go down to the wire, this is the Conference North, there's always teams that make a late surge and drama.

"We've got to keep an equilibrium, keeping our heads while there is mayhem around us.

"There's a lot of crazy results, we've got to stay focused on what we're doing and the next game.

"It's important we don't think about the game after that. We need to be very focused on Monday now.

"If we improve on today we'll get three points."

The Telford chief insisted he would not have taken a point ahead of the Edgar Street clash, watched on by more than 2,600 fans, and suggested his team needed to show more hard work and desire, particularly in a first half where they didn't get started.

"I'm pleased with our point. I think it's a difficult place to come to, I don't think many teams in the last few months have got much change out of Hereford at Edgar Street." he added.

"We came here for the three points, of course. I thought we were very up and down in the first half and the whole game really.

"I spoke to the lads about being more efficient and reliable. Once we can be more solid and resolute we can let our footballing ability do the talking.

"You can't build blocks on a lack of hard work, desire, being efficient and reliable.

"We lacked a little bit of that, we looked neat and tidy which was great but you've got to be able to the other side of it.

"We looked a lot better in the second half but it needs to be better.

"It's a very good point, we'd have probably taken that on the way here. I wouldn't, but I know a lot of people would."

The Bucks play their second match in 72 hours on Easter Monday, their penultimate standard league game of the season, at home to Alfreton.

And Cowan said he has instructed the players and their families to take it easy in the sunshine over the Bank Holiday weekend.

"I said to the players I don't ask a lot of them away from the day-to-day stuff," he added.

"But I've told them they can't be sitting in the beer garden having a beer tomorrow or running around after their kids.

"I invited all the families in at the start of the season, we had a toast. I requested their support and it's for times like this.

"I want them to be understanding that the lads need their rest. It's a quick turnaround, we need to re-hydrate, re-calibrate and be ready for Monday.

"They've got to be insane to it now if we want to get into those play-offs, that's where the families play their part."