Kevin Wilkin's opinion on Telford draw

“I think Sudbury had one or two moments themselves, but we’ve had several moments, good moments as well, that we passed up again,” said Wilkin.

“I’m disappointed not to take three points; to fall behind as we did and show a bit of character is a credit to the lads.

“To keep going for the full period and drag something back out of the game... they deserve tremendous credit for that.”

Wilkin briefed the Bucks to expect a much-improved Sudbury side from the one that escaped relegation last season, and his assessment was accurate.

Although Jordan Piggott’s first goal of the season had the Bucks ahead, Sudbury soon levelled through Joe Neal’s penalty.

The hosts then capitalised on an Orrin Pendley misjudgement to take the lead through Liam Pearce; however, Piggott was the man crudely halted by Myles Cowling with just a minute or so remaining, a challenge that saw the Sudbury man dismissed before Angus doubled their agony, tying things up from the penalty spot.

Wilkin was pleased with his team’s resolve but also felt that the goals they conceded owed something to Sudbury’s 3G playing surface: “It’s just erratic how the pitch plays.

“If the ball behaves, we aren’t getting caught out for the first goal. It’s a challenge on there; it’s a major problem, and it’s really strange to have to play on that.

“It’s unlike most that we come up against, but credit to the lads again. They got on with the job, made light of it, and gave a pretty decent account of themselves overall.”

Several of their Southern Central Premier opponents play on artificial surfaces, and the Bucks found the plastic far from fantastic last season, frequently failing to produce their best.

Wilkin will be hoping that this point will increase belief among his team that they can conquer the less familiar, but he was also keen to stress that the pitch was just an additional factor, with Sudbury deserving of credit and respect: “I watched them beat Stamford last week, and they understand how to play the conditions here really well, and they’ve good players in their ranks. They’re a more than solid side, and they’ll be up around it, I’m sure.”

The Bucks are back in action this evening, away to Barwell and will face another examination of their technique on an artificial surface.

Wilkin will hope to have Ricardo Dinanga available, although his side’s top scorer departed early at Sudbury: “We’ll see how it settles down; he’s possibly bruised or rolled his ankle a little bit. Ricky was doing really well and asking all sorts of questions in that first period, and that (the injury) obviously steadied him up a little bit, but Ellis has come on and worked moments and situations. He’s got to add a little bit, too, you know? There are little moments that he’s got to understand a little bit better and when he can become more effective for us, but it’s great to have players like Ellis to bring on.”