Telford boss still needs answers
A 3-1 home defeat by visitors Macclesfield didn’t provide too many answers to some of the intangibles facing AFC Telford United manager Kevin Wilkin as the countdown to the season intensifies.
The absence of two of his more experienced summer signings and the need to add to his squad in a couple more positions meant that Wilkin fielded three trialists in Saturday’s fixture. As a consequence, the Bucks were somewhat disjointed, and Macclesfield took full advantage with two first-half goals from Alex Curran that established a lead they never relinquished.
Wilkin was phlegmatic afterwards but acknowledged his team’s errors had been costly.
“We mixed the team around again and it’s starting to settle down and become probably more akin to something that we’re likely to go with come the start of the season,” said Wilkin.
“Credit to Macclesfield, I think it started quite well, but they grew into the game and we’ve made some poor, poor mistakes and gifted them some moments to go in at half-time at 2-0, kind of allowing the game to move away from us, which was disappointing.”
Wilkin was without goalkeeper Brandon Hall, the Bucks choosing not to risk their undoubted No.1 with a slight injury and the season opener at home to Royston Town on the horizon. Experienced defender Jared Hodgkiss is still recovering from a muscle injury sustained two weeks ago, and Wilkin feels his influence will be an important factor for his side.
“We didn’t want to risk Brandon, but his experience would have been good. Jared’s getting in and around it, he’s another voice, and it’s something that those younger lads playing at this level need to understand; you need to be more vocal, and Jared certainly is.
He’s a good organiser, and that’s a characteristic we need to show more of today. We’re mindful that getting that extra voice out there can make a big difference to us.”
The Bucks cut the visitors’ advantage with a little over ten minutes of the game remaining, through their
New signing Ricardo Dinanga scored for Bucks.
fourth goal of pre-season, but they quickly restored their two-goal lead as the Bucks briefly pushed for an equaliser.
There was a familiar face to Shropshire football followers in the Macclesfield line-up too; the Silkmen can cut their cloth a little differently and gave a debut to former Shrewsbury Town midfield kingpin Jon Nolan, who has just signed for the Cheshire side.
