AFC Telford v Alfreton Town: Bucks put on red alert for a big physical battle

The Bucks aim to get back to winning ways at home to the Reds after a first National League North defeat of the season last time out, writes Lewis Cox.

Billy Heath’s side will play their first fixture in three weeks after completing a period of quarantine that saw them withdraw from the FA Cup and postpone league fixtures.

The Derbyshire visitors remain unbeaten in league action, but have taken two draws from just two games played so far.

Cowan, though, knows what kind of style to expect. He said: “You always look to the manager for the tendencies and they’ve always been a very resolute team.

“They are very combative but have signed some very good players, it’s a really competitive league this year.

“They are playing quite a unique formation at the moment, every Billy Heath team is going to be very competitive, very combative, if you don’t turn up on the day you will get found out.

“So ultimately we’ll have to match them with that and believe we are a better side and do the better things on the day.

“First and foremost, we’ve got to turn up and beat them physically.”

Cowan’s Bucks, who are still without injured duo Brendon Daniels and Courtney Meppen-Walters, go about responding to a league defeat for the first time this season after the narrow 3-2 defeat against Boston at Gainsborough Trinity.

The boss is pleased generally with his attackers so far this season. Strike pair Aaron Williams and Jason Oswell have three goals each already. But Cowan wants more.

And avoidable defensive lapses have cost his side, a factor that he says lies in concentration levels.

“We should’ve been 4-1 up at half-time,” Cowan said of the Boston reverse. “I’ve been saying that since I’ve been in the job. We’ve been more clinical, but we could be better and we should’ve been out of sight.

“Performance levels have been high. I’d like improve converting chances on goal and the concentration element.

“I can’t put it in the net for them and with concentration levels it has to be managed themselves. We have it in abundance and the group are more disappointed (with the loss) than me.

“We put it in perspective. We’ve played three of last season’s play-off sides and performances have been around the 90 to 95 per cent mark. If we have a ruthless streak and have concentration levels that would be huge.

“The players are aware of that and I have a lot of trust in them.”

Midfielder Adam Walker has been a regular and consistent figure since arriving from Brackley in 2019.

Former Coventry youngster Walker, who made two substitute appearances in the Championship for the Sky Blues, is closing on his 30th birthday and nearing 400 league appearances.

Walker referenced the importance of a consistent run of positive results in what, the Telford players believe, can be a successful season.

He said: “It’s a great club, a massive club. It’s a shame without the fans at the moment, because that makes it all the more better to have them with us at such a beautiful stadium.

“The gaffer’s got a great coaching and backroom staff and the players we’ve got here this season we feel like we can achieve.

“There’s a lot of very talent players here and we have to keep stringing performances together, get wins and keep climbing.”