AFC Telford vs Boston - Match preview
AFC Telford chief Paul Carden has called on his side to show emotion and heart in their battle to beat the drop.
The Bucks boss, whose side welcome promotion-hunting Boston tomorrow, said his job – to a point – is to control his charges’ feelings but he argued football is built around excitement and despair.
Carden insists Telford must be ‘mentally strong and focused’ as they bid to secure enough points in the final three games to stave off relegation. The Bucks are currently one place and two points clear of danger, 21st in National League North.
Carden said: “We’ve got lads who are fit, a strong squad to select from, and we’ve definitely got to utilise that over the weekend to get maximum points.
“We’ve got to be mentally strong, mentally focused and in-tune with what we need right now and what points we need.
“We know Boston are fighting to stay in the play-offs. They’ve been on a decent run on the back of a not so decent run and then lost to a strong Fylde side. They will want to avenge that.”
Telford have let emotion run over in recent weeks. New headline recruit Harry Flowers was sent off and banned for three games – on top of a red card hanging over him from previous club Curzon Ashton – for lashing out in the poor 1-0 defeat at Hereford two Fridays ago.
But Carden is more than happy to see heart and passion in his side as they look for further home comforts against The Pilgrims tomorrow.
“That’s what the game is, I think the game is about emotion,” the boss continued.
“The game’s about feeling, heart, and sometimes that can spill over into ways you don’t want it to.
“But if you don’t play with that passion and heart then you’re not going to do a lot.
“That’s what makes us play, be part of the game, the emotion. The highs make you want more, the lows make you want to turn it around to get highs because you see others doing it.
“That’s what the game is, supporters feel it, the ups and downs, churning in your stomach when you’re watching your team and results are tight.
“The supporters at Chorley, as they have been all season, were first-class. The way they backed the team right till the end, they applauded them off because they’d seen what we tried to do, albeit we didn’t get the result.
“We’re going to need that, definitely. Let’s make the noise and encouragement count, pull together for the results we need to end the season on a positive.”
The Bucks face a crucial possible six-point Bank Holiday weekend with a trip to one of Carden’s former clubs, Southport, to follow on May Day.
Carden managed Southport in 2015, leading them to National League survival. The Sandgrounders are now managed by one Liam Watson – former title-winning Telford manager and one of Carden’s closest allies in football.
