Gavin Cowan praises AFC Telford hat-trick hero Aaron Williams

Williams has established himself as a renowned sharpshooter at National League level, but the Bucks’ biggest signing of the summer had yet to really show what he is capable of.

However, Williams doubled his seasonal goal tally in just over an hour on Saturday.

“He’s a phenomenal lad who just wants to wants to do well,” said Cowan.

“I expect standards around the football club and Aaron certainly adheres to that. Whether he’s scoring or not, his attitude is impeccable. He’s been working extremely hard and that was the fruits of all his hard work.”

Williams played for the Bucks earlier in his career, and collected a hat-trick in that stay too, before working his way up to the Football League with Peterborough and Newport County.

A record of 24 goals for Brackley Town in 2017/18 saw him join Harrogate Town.

However, it was a move that didn’t go to plan, as Cowan explained.

“Aaron came here off the back of a difficult season, but hopefully this can really kick-start him and he’ll show exactly why he’s a player we wanted to bring to the club,” added the boss.

Cowan felt Williams exemplified the identity he wants the Bucks to have under his stewardship, but felt those qualities were in evidence from his entire team in Saturday’s victory. It was a win that had echoes of last season for the Bucks, who look to be getting back on track for a play-off push.

“The minimum requirement at this football club is that you work hard, show desire and do a job and a half. We went through a difficult couple of weeks, but my positivity and optimism hasn’t wavered. I don’t change my messages; football is about peaks and troughs. We’ve gone back to basics, and if we do those basics well then the players’ quality shines through like it did.”