Preview: Decisive run to survive begins tonight for AFC Telford United

The Bucks, third-bottom in National League North, face the two sides beneath them and the two sides directly above them in their next four outings.

First on the agenda is Guiseley's Nethermoor Park tomorrow. The Lions were narrowly beaten at Leamington, another of the strugglers, on Saturday – and impressed Paul Carden when they secured a late 1-0 win at the New Bucks Head shortly before Christmas.

That run, a quirk of the fixture list created last July, will almost certainly have a telling say in whether Carden's team finish clear of the division's sole relegation place or if they will be dragged back deeper into the mire.

Telford, though, head into the crunch run of fixtures with nine games of the season remaining and in good form and confidence.

Carden's men undoubtedly require an upturn in their away form are they to finally banish lingering relegation fears and pull away from Guiseley and Farsley beneath them.

The Bucks' away league form, which is winless stretching back well over a year, has been a burden all season but travelling fans will hope this week's back-to-back journeys to West Yorkshire to tackle their closest rivals will finally yield maximum away points. The point on the road at AFC Fylde last week, however, was a reward for improved displays.

Though Telford, two points clear of tonight's hosts and three points above basement boys Farsley, have at least put themselves in a position to be confident of safety after some pivotal home wins of late.

Saturday's impressive and deserved Liam Nolan-inspired 2-0 success over in-form Spennymoor came a couple of weeks after a crunch midweek win over Curzon Ashton and was a perfect tonic to Alfreton's comeback New Bucks Head's win a fortnight earlier.

Carden is wary of tonight's hosts despite their position. He said: "Guiseley is going to be difficult.

"They were very good when they came here early on, not long after I joined, I thought they were a good side.

"I watched them against Southport around that time and I thought their position was false, but for whatever reason they've stayed in and around the same area as us.

"We go there looking to do what we've been doing, that's being solid, resolute, show our quality and try to get the result.

"It's a bit bizarre the way the fixtures have fallen, but the fixtures have been there since July, so it's not been planned!

"We've got to go into every game with the same mindset we've done in the last couple of months, but hope to get the result our play has deserved and on Saturday we did that.

The Lions, managed by Russ O'Neill and Marcus Bignot, will be familiar with a couple of Telford's newer recruits.

Centre-back Reiss McNally has caught the eye since checking in on loan from Solihull Moors and was a key player in his stint with Guiseley a couple of years ago, in which he won young player of the season.

Bignot, the former Solihull boss, will also be fully aware of the Moors' other Bucks loanee Jordan Piggott, who has been another key part of Carden's group.

The Bucks have left-back Brad Bood back among their ranks after injury. A decision will be made on winger Byron Moore's fitness after he had to sit out Saturday's victory.