"Bucks target the Lions' share of the points"

Match Date : November 28th, 2020 3:00 pm
Competition : National League North
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 15:00

Telford face Yorkshire opposition for a second weekend in a row, with Guiseley coming to the New Bucks Head this Saturday.

Led by Marcus Bignot and Russ O’Neill, Guiseley finished 9th in the shortened 2019/20 campaign. The Lions got off to a fast start last season, slumped in autumn but regained momentum at the start of 2020 as they ended just short of the playoff places.

Guiseley’s start to the current campaign has been a little bit slower that last time around, though. After winning their opening three games (two of them in the FA Cup) by an aggregate score of 10-0, the Lions are without a win in six – picking up just two points in that time. The West Yorkshire side currently sit 19th spot on five point, although they have only played six league games so far.

The Lions lost last season’s top scorer, Aaron Martin, to Harrogate just before the season was curtailed in March. But although they haven’t been as prolific without Martin, Guiseley have scored in all but one of their nine games during the current campaign – only Hereford have successfully shut out the Lions.

The Yorkshire club’s squad has a decidedly youthful feel to it; most of the Lions’ players are younger than 25, with several teenagers regularly featuring in their matchday squad. In fact, the average age of Guiseley’s squad in their most recent league match – Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Kettering – was just 22.7 years old. At 27, summer signing Andy Kellett is, remarkably, one of Guiseley’s elder statesmen. Kellett brings experience to the midfield, while much-travelled centre half Hamza Bencherif, 32, skippers the side.

The Bucks returned to winning ways last weekend with a 2-1 triumph at Bradford (Park Avenue). Gavin Cowan’s men will be looking to pick up back-to-back league wins for the first time this campaign against a Guiseley side that the Bucks beat three times last season. In addition to a 4-1 home win and 2-1 triumph on the road, Telford also won 4-0 at Nethermoor in the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy – Aaron Williams netting five of the Bucks’ goals across those three fixtures. And Cowan and the Bucks will no doubt want to keep that run going this Saturday.

 

Live stream

Supporters are not currently allowed to attend National League North fixtures, but you can watch our live stream on Telford United TV. Coverage starts from 2:50pm.

For more information, read our step-by-step guide on how to watch live.