Gavin Cowan will not accept any AFC Telford fitness excuses in demanding schedule
Gavin Cowan stressed AFC Telford players have no excuses physically as they prepare for a second game in 72 hours.
The Bucks chief has challenged his side to go again at Gloucester after the fine 3-0 Boxing Day success over Alfreton.
A second victory in three days could take Telford, in 13th, as high as 10th. Hosts Gloucester sit 18th, but are just three points worse off than the Bucks.
“We’ve been here before this season when we’ve put together a couple of really decent results and we’ve struggled to build on them,” Cowan said.
“So my challenge to the players now is to build on those foundations and the building blocks we created on Boxing Day. We need to put it together over a period of time.”
Telford are amid a run of four National League North fixtures in 10 days over the festive and New Year period.
But Cowan does not want to hear excuses about fitness. He added: “There are no excuses. The opposition will have had the same.
“They get paid to do it. Being part-time I always told by one of the better managers I worked under that he is there to work on detail and players are responsible for their fitness.
“They’re a good group and looked after themselves on Christmas Day to put a performance in like they did against Alfreton and I expect the same.”
“There’s elements to work on fitness but it’s also players’ responsibility.”
Out of sorts Gloucester have won just once in 11 games in all competitions – that win a narrow 1-0 against bottom side Bradford Park Avenue.
The Tigers finished 17th from 22 in the National League South last season and were transferred geographically again in the summer back to their home in the northern division.
The Bucks got the better of their visitors as the sides met for a topsy-turvy clash that finished 4-3 in September.
Boxing Day hero Ryan Barnett will miss the trip to Gloucester, who now play in Evesham at the Jubilee Stadium, through suspension following his red card at Chester.
Telford do, however, have Riccardo Calder back from the one-match ban he served from the red card in the FA Trophy exit to Leamington.
