Dennis Greene looks for the same effort from his AFC Telford side

Greene’s spell in temporary charge started with a 1-0 reverse at Spennymoor on Saturday – meaning the team are now winless in seven games – but onlookers remarked on an improved display.

Spennymoor started the day third in National League North, whereas this evening’s hosts Boston, where Greene spent three years from 2013, sit 14th with three wins from seven games.

Telford, worryingly, have slipped to 21st – second-bottom – of the division and must stem the tide swiftly while the board of directors are mulling over candidates for the permanent job and begin the interview process. The temporary boss, however, does feel the Bucks are in a ‘false’ position.

Greene, who is assisted by Alex Meechan, is pressing on with a short-term recruitment drive and hopes to wrap up two new faces in defence and attack ahead of the clash at Boston’s new Jakesmans Community Stadium home. He has already brought in physical midfielder Cameron Antwi from Blackpool.

The interim boss was impressed with his side’s efforts on Saturday and feels that a similar physical approach will see them reap rewards.

Greene said: “I can’t say what’s gone on before me, but if they give that amount of effort at different clubs – we went to Spennymoor third in the league – most of the time they’re going to come away with points.

“I think we’re in a false position, I think once we can get some home games and a bit of rhythm and work into them in training, I can see us creating more opportunities, I think we’ve got the players to do that, they’ve just got to work hard.”

London-born Greene, 56, led Boston to finishes of sixth, third and fifth in his three full seasons in charge of the Pilgrims. He left by mutual consent in November 2016.

“I’m looking forward to going over there,” he added. “There’s a lot of faces I haven’t seen for a while, the chairman Neil Kempster, his wife Wendy, Jason the kitman, it’ll be nice to see them.

“I haven’t been over to the new stadium, all we can go and give is the effort we gave on Saturday and see where it takes us.”

Greene, who elected a back to basics 4-4-2 approach at Spennymoor, added: “I’m just working game-by-game, we’ll give our best in the next game and the chairman will update me along the way on where he’s at.

“All we can do is try to make this team have some kind of progression between now and when I go, hopefully we can get as many points as we can so it isn’t so difficult for the next manager.

“Hopefully whoever comes in, whether it’s me or somebody else, the team will be in a better position at that stage points-wise and the way we’re playing.”

Zak Lilly serves the final game of his three-match ban while Kyle Bennett is expected to return after compassionate leave following the death of his father Paul last week.