Match Preview

Match Preview – AFC Telford United (A)

We return to league action on Saturday with a visit to the New Bucks Head - the home of Shropshire outfit AFC Telford United.

The Blues will be aiming for a positive start to November after suffering defeat in the only league match played in October.

Long Eaton will be up against tough opposition in former National League North side Telford who have not lost a match in their last five league appearances.

Managers quotes:

With yet another week away from the football pitch wrapped up, management duo Brad Munn and Lewis McGugan focused on training and recruitment as a packed fixture schedule approaches.

"Young lads will get a chance to show us some attitude and application," Munn said: "if that is what it takes and we have to roll the dice in that respect – whilst we are still recruiting to bring quality around them – lets do it.

"Because there has been some young lads that have trained with us a lot and pretty frequently and a couple will be involved with us for the rest of the season, which was the plan anyway.

"At the end of the day we need to start recruiting again, it has been non-stop but as Lewis [McGugan] said you will never find a fairer pair of trying to give everyone the best opportunity possible to improve them, take a shirt, keep a shirt. But for us now everyone has to prove that they want to be in that starting XI, with a shirt, every week, and that starts with training."

Since the last match, Munn and McGugan have recruited a midfielder with over 100 Football League appearances in Jamie Hanson, who joins on loan from Ilkeston Town, accompanied by fellow Robin and former Blue Cieron Keane who makes his return to Grange Park on loan after he made the move to the New Manor Ground in September.

Reiterating the importance of working hard on the training pitch, Munn added: "It has gone past the point of trying to do right by people and give them the best opportunity, we need to get quality through the door, we need to embrace that with the young talent who will give you 110% every time they step on a training pitch and a football pitch.

"So, from here on out, it is a 100% or nothing and it is as simple as that. It is 100% or nothing because that is how we operate and that is all we expect from the group and, trust me, if the group embrace that and we get a kickstart with that we won't go far wrong."

The opposition:

AFC Telford United sit just outside the playoff spots in sixth place after 14 matches played. Former Notts County prospect and Grimsby Town striker Montel Gibson leads the scoring for The Bucks with seven goals from 13 league appearances.

In their last outing, Telford won 1-3 away to Kettering Town in a midweek clash at Latimer Park. Reece Styche gave The Bucks an early lead before Tom Scott equalised for the hosts. Although Styche restored the lead with a first-half brace and scored his third for the hat-trick in the second half – the striker's fourth goal in as many games.

Match details:

AFC Telford United vs Long Eaton United
Southern Football League Premier Central
Saturday 4th November – Kick-off 15:00

New Bucks Head
Watling Street
Wellington
Shropshire
TF1 2TU

Ticket information:

£13 Adults
£10 Concessions
£6 17-18s
£3 12-16s
U12s Free with a paying adult

Tickets can be purchased via the link below or at the ticket office

https://afctelfordunited.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/afc_telford_united_v_long_eaton_united

The following information may be helpful to supporters:

If you are travelling to the match by train, leave at Wellington station and the stadium is a short walk away.

Parking facilities comprise 290 spaces at the stadium (entrance via Haybridge Road) There is surveillance by stewards and CCTV. The fee is £4 per car, payment should be made by card at the parking meter or the ticket office (cash or card)