Analysis: No lack of effort but AFC Telford United lack a cutting edge

For the second game in succession, Kevin Wilkin’s side came up against opponents more mindful of the damage the Bucks could do to them than anything they could do in return. The Bucks had more possession, but once they got within sight of goal, they failed to really work visiting goalkeeper Sam Donkin.

Leiston enjoyed a couple of spells where they sought to gain more than just the single point they left with but were content to restrict their hosts, making this rather meagre fare for the just under 1,000 spectators present.

The progress made by Wilkin in constructing a side that is now unbeaten in fifteen league matches is not to be sniffed at; however, they now need to find a way to become as proficient at scoring as they are at keeping the ball out of their net.

Solving that equation, one that is easy to say but harder to achieve, could be the difference between the Bucks being authentic title challengers or playoff contenders.

With eighteen games to play, it is still possible they could be neither, so close is the Southern League’s Premier Central division, but realistically, finishing outside the top 5 would have to be classed as a failure of sorts.

Wilkin looks for constant improvement but knows that the forward line is where that improvement needs to be accelerated. The arrival of Matty Stenson from Nuneaton Borough this week, and the abortive attempt to secure Conor Tee from Bromsgrove, are testament to that; however, Wilkin allowed his established duo of Montel Gibson and Reece Styche to respond to Stenson’s arrival by showing greater cutting-edge in an unchanged starting XI.

Alas, Gibson and Styche, along with their colleagues, drew a blank in a subdued performance. The effort that Wilkin looks for was largely there, but there wasn’t sufficient quality, either in the creation or execution of scoring chances.

The early stages of the game were even. Both sides showed some intent but with neither goalkeeper tested. It took the Bucks around 15 minutes to start asserting themselves. Remi Walker and Ellis Brown combined for the latter to turn away from a defender, and he then found central defender Orrin Pendley in an unusually high position; his angled low shot couldn’t beat Donkin.

Brown put a subsequent cross too close to Donkin, and then Gibson, located by a ball into the inside right channel, fended off Chris Casement only for Casement to recover and force him wide, turning what would have been a shot into a cross that failed to reach the six-yard box.

Leiston appeared content to try and exploit the Bucks on the counterattack. In Jamar Loza, the former Norwich City and Barnet striker, they possessed a man capable of bringing teammates into play.

As the half-an-hour mark was reached, Donkin sparked a flurry of excitement and a few flutters in the hearts of his teammates when he left his penalty area to try and clear but made a hash of it, presenting the Bucks with the ball. Although the goal was gaping behind him, no Buck possessed the confidence to try and find it. Walker instead went wide to Ellis Myles, and with Leiston recovering the situation his cross was headed to safety.

Byron Moore drove a low cross in that Leiston cleared, and it sparked a riposte through Loza, who did much of the hard work to get clear of the Buck defence but then embarrassingly took an air shot and ended up on the floor as the ball dribbled out for a goal-kick.

Leiston appeared to take that as encouragement and ended the half on top. George Quantrell earned only a corner rather than the goal he sought when he wasn’t picked up and met a near-post cross that was deflected away from goal.

Loza did then make contact, dinking an effort past Hall but unable to find the target from the right of the box, as the Bucks lost briefly control of matters, being reprieved by the half-time whistle.

Leiston tried to reestablish their momentum after the interval, but the Bucks slowly began to gain more possession, without threatening to do much with it.

The introduction of Stenson began to look increasingly inevitable, and after an hour he got his chance, with Gibson withdrawn to make way for him. Gibson has a good work ethic but seemed a little off the pace. Stenson is all about hustle and bustle, but as keen as he would have been to make an impression, it may take him a little time to find his place in this Bucks team.

With the game’s final quarter looming, Leiston seemed to sense that they’d perhaps dealt with the best the Bucks could muster and began to look more threatening. Ross Crane’s run down the right took him past Sam Whittall and captain Fraser Kerr had to read the situation and concede a corner. That in turn led to Moore blocking a Loza effort, the forward being patient and crafty before getting his shot off.

Nathan Fox, the Bucks’ left wing-back, had a quieter game than usual, his attacking influence limited although his defensive work was again close to exemplary. He dragged a shot wide of Donkin’s left post as the Bucks again failed to make the most of a good moment to put the opposition to the sword.

The Bucks’ inattention led to both Pendley, and a teammate, being caught offside at a free-kick as Leiston pushed out, and as the frustration grew, both sides began to accumulate yellow cards.

Styche, who presumably couldn’t see a route to pick out a colleague, fired a hard, rising ball into Donkin’s gloves at the near post, and Stenson won a corner soon after, sent on a typical, head-down charge into the penalty area where his shot was blocked.

Styche, who had frequently pulled out to the right of the field, sent a fierce effort across Donkin but wide of the far post after a corner cleared those amassed in the six-yard box.

With the officials about to signal the amount of time to be added for stoppages, Stenson almost crowned his return with a goal that would have brought the house down. Wide on the right and 25-30 yards from goal, he controlled the ball on his thigh and in an instant, let fly with a shot that rose and then dipped, dropping over Donkin but also his crossbar.

Stenson is a player around whom things happen, and as the game entered injury time, he was left bemused as referee Tom Swift missed a chance to play an advantage, one which would have allowed Stenson to shoot.

The moment came after Pendley’s superbly timed sliding tackle won possession off Quantrell, only for the Leiston man to try and prevent Pendley’s ball forward; he arrived late, caught Pendley painfully, and the Bucks’ coaching staff and officials leapt to their feet. Mr Swift appeared to react to that rather than following the ball, and although Quantrell received a booking, the Bucks would sooner have had the shooting chance for Stenson.

It was a moment that summed up their afternoon, which ended soon after.

Whilst this draw is no reason to be despondent, Bucks fans will be hoping that the next phase of the team’s development under Wilkin is one that sess them add consistent scoring threat to the numerous admirable qualities they now possess.

Attendance: 969.

AFC Telford United: Hall, Myles, Fox, Walker, Pendley, Kerr, Brown, Whittall, Gibson (Stenson 60) Styche (Dinanga 85), Moore.

Subs: Jones, Solley, Webster.

Cautioned: Walker, Whittall.

Leiston FC: Donkin, Casement, Dunbar, Marsden, Dronfield, Jackson, Crane, Armin, Quantrell, Manly (Atkin 85), Loza (Loza 90).

Subs: Jordan, Lavin, Jarvis.

Cautioned: Marsden, Quantrell, Armin, Manly.

Referee: Tom Swift.

Assistants: James Hosie, Henry Gregory.