Kevin Wilkin Hopeful that His Players Will Learn from FA Cup Mistakes
Kevin Wilkin’s hopes of winning their First Round Qualifying clash against Coalville Town were cut short after his side suffered a 1-0 defeat against Coalville Town, sending them to an early exit from the FA Cup.
The Ravens have consistently occupied the top-of-the-table positions since the Southern League Premier Central was formed. As such, some supporters and punters who bet on sites like Lottoland Football Betting knew The Bucks were facing a tough test against Coalville. Moreover, Coalville’s manager, Adam Stevens, had noted that they would go into the game with no fear despite AFC Telford being one of the biggest clubs in their league.
Wilkin acknowledged that it was a frustrating moment for the team and supporters and hoped his players would learn from their mistakes. He also hinted at the possibility of making some changes to his team.
How it Went Down at New Bucks Head
For those who didn’t get a chance to watch the game, The Bucks started with a promising performance but looked poor in the second half.
Coalville’s keeper, Paul White, had to save a seemingly dangerous header from Montel Gibson three minutes into the game.
Around seven minutes later, White was forced to head the ball away from the penalty area, sending it to Telford’s Jordan Piggot. The defender tried to loft the ball past the already stranded goalkeeper but missed the target.
In response, Coalville’s Doyle-Charles tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards but failed to find the back of the net.
Around one hour into the game, the Bucks lost possession in Coalville’s half, and within no time, the ball was on Tim Berridge’s feet, who had positioned himself on the left side of the pitch. The striker managed to get into the box and tried to bypass Jones to find the perfect scoring position.
Jones reacted with a tackle that toppled Berridge, resulting in the referee awarding Coalville a penalty in the 61st minute. Eliot Putman took the penalty that sent the ball past Hall’s left hand straight into the top left corner.
With around 30 minutes remaining until stoppage time, Tre Mitford, who came from the bench, tried to fire The Bucks level, but his 25-yard shot hit the crossbar. Gibson and Webster tried to level the score as well, but their efforts bore no fruit.
The referee added six extra minutes into the game, and this is the period Webster received a red card after raising his hands to Doyle-Charles. The match ended two minutes after the incident, sending The Bucks out of the FA Cup.
A Change is in the Cards for AFC Telford Following their FA Cup Exit
In a post-match interview, Wilkin hinted that some changes may occur to the team following their 1-0 loss against Coalville. He noted that he was thinking about trying to shuffle things around to see if he could introduce new players to the group because it was clear to him that some of his players weren’t quite to the needed level.
Before the match, Wilkin expressed his faith in the development of his youngsters, particularly Ty Webster and Steffan Jones, whom he believed would appear regularly in his first-team squad this season if they stay fit.
Wilkin decided to place his faith in a blend of youth and experience following last season’s relegation. He was keen on bringing in younger, hungrier players who could grow and improve with the team along the way.
Final Thought
With a record of two wins, two draws, and two losses in their first six games, it’s safe to say Wilkin’s side had a decent performance at the beginning of the season. Nonetheless, The Bucks failed to create many scoring chances in the FA Cup, with the few they created going to waste.
The manager acknowledged that his side had suffered two poor second-half performances in two consecutive matches: one against Halesowen and the other against Coalville.
This problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible so that the team can come back stronger and create more goal-scoring chances in their upcoming matches.
Nonetheless, Wilkin hinted that he would be making some changes, so the supporters should remain optimistic and have faith in their team.