"Bucks looking for first ever win at Radcliffe"

Match Date : November 29th, 2025 3:00 pm
Competition : National League North
Ground : Stainton Park
Kick Off : 15:00

The Bucks’ busy November comes to an end on Saturday with a tricky trip to Radcliffe.

Boro are managed by some well-known faces in Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley. Appointed in May 2023, Boro won the 2023-24 Northern Premier League title, finishing ten points clear of Macclesfield, before comfortably surviving their first ever season at Step 2. Although Radcliffe finished immediately above the drop in 20th, they were 12 points clear of 21st place Needham Market.

And this season has seen the Greater Manchester club kick on to another level. Johnson and Morley strengthened their squad in the summer with some older heads with plenty of league experience, including ex-Shrewsbury keeper Mark Halstead, left back Callum MacFadzean, midfielder Dan Garnder, striker Hallam Hope, and another former Shrew in attacker Jon Taylor. However, it’s 23-year-old forward Rio Clegg who has grabbed the headlines since a summer switch from Trafford. Clegg was the NPL West Division’s top goalscorer with 20 goals last term, and the young forward has bagged 11 league goals so far for Radcliffe.

Clegg has been ably supported in attack by Boro captain and Johnson and Morley’s go to man, Jordan Hulme, who has six goals to his name. However, both Clegg and Hulme were sent off on Saturday as Radcliffe slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Peterborough Sports. That loss was Boro’s first since 16 September, ending an eight-game unbeaten run that had seen them climb up to 3rd in table. However, a further 2-0 defeat to Southport on Tuesday night has seen Radcliffe slip down to 6th, although they have games in hand on most of the teams above them. And despite conceding five goals in two games, Boro still have the joint 3rd-best defence in the division, while they are good on home soil too, winning five, drawing two and losing just one of their eight league games at Stainton Park this term.

The Bucks are still looking for a first away win of the season, but Wilkin’s men have tended to fare relatively well against promotion-chasing sides and picked up a good point against table toppers South Shields last Saturday. The Bucks will also be buoyed by Tuesday night’s 4-0 win over Oxford City.

The two teams have met each other four times in the past, when Radcliffe were still known as Radcliffe Borough – they dropped the ‘Borough’ in 2018. Over two Northern Premier League Premier seasons between 2005 and 2007, the Bucks won once and drew three times with Boro, with both games at Stainton Park ending in draws. Kevin Wilkin will no doubt be hoping, then, that his men can be the first AFC Telford side to win at Radcliffe.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

You can purchase tickets online in advance via the Radcliffe website.

Website: www.radcliffefc.com

Ground Address: Neuven Stadium, Colshaw Close East, Radcliffe, Manchester M26 3PE