Kevin Wilkin hails AFC Telford United’s quality as they target top spot
Kevin Wilkin felt his AFC Telford United side got the balance right in their 2-1 victory over Harborough Town, which maintains the Bucks’ precious position among the leading pack in the Southern Central Premier.
And Telford would go top with victory at Redditch United tonight – for 24 hours at least.
But it was that balance which pleased the Bucks boss the most. He said: “It’s nice when we put a performance in like that, and I suppose that when we you’re rocked back like we were, to go and find that little bit of character, to go and keep going and get a winner so late on… I just love it.
“It’s great fun when it happens, and sometimes it doesn’t happen often enough, but yeah, we’ll take it.”
Wilkin’s side had to find the grit to complement their guile. They led at half-time, deservedly put there by Remi Walker’s free-kick, but the hosts drew level from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining.
The Bucks refused to buckle and Ricardo Dinanga’s late header, coupled with some backs-to-the-wall defending, earned all three points, delighting the manager and justifying his recall of fit-again defender Orrin Pendley into a five-man defensive unit. Wilkin added: “I thought our quality on the bill was far superior in the first period.
“They changed it a lot, the way they play, in the second half; they don’t look to pass through or around you, and they’ll just keep arriving on splashdowns and physically keep competing with you, and when you’ve got to stand up to that, Orrin is somebody that you want in the group.
“Similarly, Sam (Whittall) and Gudge (Alex Gudger) will go and win their battles and their scraps and they’re really well complemented by the quality that Piggo (Jordan Piggott), Remi (Walker) and Byron (Moore) show through the midfield.”
The Bucks remain fifth in the table, but have games in hand on all above them bar leaders Kettering Town, who hold a two-point advantage over Wilkin’s men from the same number of matches played.
Wilkin felt his side looked more like the team they were last season but understands that situations off the field can impact what happens on it.
He added: “Players aren’t machines, you know? They’ll drop in and out of form. That can happen, and maybe has been the case a little bit this season; we’ve had a few that have not played to quite the levels that we need, you know?
“Individual mistakes through the course of the season can end up costing us, but again, there’s no lack of character, not on today’s evidence.
“The likes of Reece (Styche) will put their shoulders back and deal with situations, and we need more of that.
“They’ll start to take the younger players along the way by just being a bit more robust and understanding the situations.
“That’s obviously what we’re working towards, but it’s not a perfect science. You get challenges along the way, in whatever form and have to have enough results to get over the line.”
The Bucks travel to Redditch United this evening, looking for back-to-back wins and possibly to go top of the table for 24 hours at least.
It’s a game that could be a notable milestone for midfielders Jordan Piggott and Byron Moore, who both stand deadlocked on 99 appearances each for the club since signing in early 2022.
n The Bucks' home fixture with Kettering Town has been rearranged for Tuesday, November 12.
