The Bucks made it seven points in eight days thanks to a hard fought 2-1 win over Worksop Town at the SEAH Stadium.

Kevin Wilkin’s men started well and nearly had the lead inside the first two minutes. Jid Fridye-Harper’s throw found Matty Stenson, who squared for Charlie Williams, but the young winger could only fire wide when well placed.

The Bucks were certainly seeing more of the ball, but the Tigers were looking relatively comfortable. Jordan Cranston’s 12th minute corner was nearly turned in by Oliver Cawthorne, but the Bucks were lacking a touch of intensity in the early stages. It was still against the run of play though, when Worksop took the lead in the 23rd minute. There was a fair slice of luck about the goal too, as a freekick from 35 yards led to Aleksandrs Starcenko’s miss-hit shot, which fell perfectly for Jordan Burrow who calmly slotted home.

To be fair to the Tigers, it had been a textbook away performance from the visitors up to this point; they had absorbed the Bucks’ pressure and then found a goal with their first real opportunity. Wilkin’s men were dealt another blow shortly after the goal, when in form defender Oliver Cawthorne had to leave the field through injury, with Cranston slotting in at centre back and Jamie Meddows filling in on the left.

It would have been easy for heads to drop, but the Bucks kept going and were level just seven minutes later. Williams was brought down by Town keeper Tommy Taylor, and Stenson stepped up and confidently struck his penalty down the middle, past Taylor, to make it 1-1.

In was a more even, slightly scrappy affair now, with chances at a premium for both sides. Right on half time, the Bucks mounted a determined surge upfield, and Meddows hit a terrific low shot that looked to have the beating of Taylor but smashed off the outside of the right-hand post. 1-1 at the break.

The visitors made a double change at the break as they looked to go more attacking, and it nearly paid dividends straight away. Less than a minute into the half, Lewis Whitham worked his way into a wonderful position, but Josh Gracey made a good save with his legs to keep the scores level.

The Tigers were in the ascendency now though, as they looked to exploit Telford’s makeshift defence. But with Worksop looking to grasp the initiative, it was the Bucks who re-took the lead in the 52nd minute. While the Tigers mights have been looking to exploit the Bucks’ left-hand side, Williams and stand in left back Meddows were causing the visitors trouble. And when Meddows overlapped and sent a dangerous low ball into the six-yard box, Dylan Cogill couldn’t get out of the way, and he turned the ball into his own net.

Meddows was proving his worth at both ends too, first doing well to clear a Worksop corner before making a great block to deny Whitham-Brown’s hard, driven shot to keep things at 2-1. The Bucks were searching for a third, with Stenson twice going close, first being denied by Taylor before firing over from a good position after Rhys Hilton’s effort was blocked. Khanya Leshabela then hit a powerful drive not too far over the bar shortly afterwards, as the Bucks enjoyed a good ten-minute spell.

Heading into stoppage time, the game was still on a knife edge. And it nearly swung the Tigers’ way on in the 93rd minute when Deegan Atherton’s long throw found its way to Burrow, who’s header was superbly turned onto the bar by Gracey before Burrow headed the follow up onto the roof of the net. Moments later, Hilton carried the ball from his own box, held off two or three attempts to haul him back, but then saw his shot blocked.

The Bucks saw out the final few moments to claim a 2-1 win, which sees Wilkin’s men leapfrog Worksop and a host of other clubs to climb up to 14th in the table.

Post-match interview