Telford v Southport - Match Preview

The Bucks welcome Liam Watson’s Southport tomorrow after back-to-back defeats checked their early season progress, writes Lewis Cox.

The Telford chief feels his side have been caught and punished by momentary lapses at the back.

Cowan acknowledged improved focus can be harnessed through better communication but admitted it is ultimately down to ‘accountability’ and likened the alert levels required to that of a burglar breaking into your home.

“Essentially, it’s being accountable with how much it means to you,” Cowan said. “If a burglar was coming into your house you’d be on red alert.

“That’s how we need to defend it. Once they get in our half it’s red alert. The players have to be accountable and I know they want to do that this weekend.”

The boss, who is deciding whether to recall fit-again Brendon Daniels into his starting XI, explained: “There are things you can talk about, but remember we are part-time.

“When you are full-time you can re-emphasise things and there are buzzwords you can use.

“But when you’re part-time with the lads the age they are, they might still mature but that’s where experience tells.

“Our backline, we have Shane (Sutton), Ross (White), Theo (Streete), – more so than anyone, we have that experience.

“There’s Lee Vaughan, Henry (Cowans) who isn’t a young pup. You’d like to think with your two midfielders in there you have enough experience to see games out.

“Unfortunately, sometimes when you are dominant and chasing the game – maybe if we were away we would’ve been more reserved – but at home we felt we wanted to win the game and it leaves us open.

“That’s what teams come and play for and hope for. They hope to stay in long enough to get an opportunity.

“There’s no right or wrong. We’re best on the front foot, trying to dominate games and being on the front foot, but we can mix it up going back to front with someone like Jason Oswell up front, a good targetman.”

Visitors Southport have conceded just once in five league games so far this term. Watson’s men have scored just five, winning 1-0 on three occasions.

The Sandgrounders have fitness concerns surrounding Mohamud Ali, who limped out of the midweek one-goal victory at Kettering.

Watson, who turned 50 in May, memorably brought Conference North title success to AFC Telford United in the 2013/14 campaign, his one full season at the club.

The Liverpudlian remains close with Bucks chairman Andy Pryce and has offered Cowan words of guidance in the Bucks boss’s young managerial career.

Cowan said of Southport, who sit fourth, three points and three places higher than Telford: “They’ve not scored a massive amount and just conceded the one, that’s what it’s all about.

“People keep saying to me about Liam’s style of football but ultimately it’s about stopping it going in one end and scoring in the other.

“He’ll be very pleased with that. I believe there’s more to come from us, when we inevitably start taking our chances we’ll be very dominant in games.

“But we’ve got to earn the right, and that’s what Liam’s teams do, earn the right to win games and be competitive.

“I’ve always liked to have come off the pitch and never liked to have believed someone would’ve put in more effort and out-worked me. That’s what his teams can do. For the most part Liam’s teams will come off the pitch giving everything, and also they have got a bit of quality.”