Match Date: 17 August 2024, 3:00 pm
Competition: Southern League Premier Central
Ground: New Bucks Head
Kick Off: 15:00
AFC Telford United will be looking to recover from a disappointing midweek defeat when they host Hitchin Town at the New Bucks Head this Saturday. The Bucks fell 5-1 to Stourbridge on Tuesday, while Hitchin are still searching for their first win of the season, having lost their opening two matches.
The Canaries enjoyed a strong start to the previous campaign, finding themselves in playoff contention when they visited Telford last November. However, their form nosedived in the latter half of the season, leading to a 19th-place finish, narrowly avoiding relegation after Coalville Town withdrew from the league.
Hitchin's struggles culminated in the resignation of manager Mark Burke in March, after 11 years at the helm. Burke, who had been with the club since 1985, remains in a community role, while former player Brett Donnelly took over as manager. Donnelly's first game in charge was a 1-1 draw against Telford in March.
During the summer, Donnelly made significant changes to his squad, following the departures of key players such as top scorer Finley Wilkinson (Barnet) and captain Charlie Horlock (Slough). To bolster his team, Donnelly recruited several players from the top tier of Step 4, including experienced defender Kieron Forbes (Biggleswade Town), midfielders Jack Dreyer (Ware Town) and Fernando Bell-Toxtle (Bedford Town), and full-back Rio Deall (AFC Dunstable).
Despite the new faces, Hitchin have struggled to find their feet this season. They suffered a 3-1 defeat to Bromsgrove Sporting on the opening day before losing 2-0 at Stamford on Tuesday. This leaves them bottom of the table, with Telford just three places higher in 19th.
Telford ended last season on a high at home, securing 21 points from their final seven games. However, that positive momentum has been disrupted by the recent loss to Stourbridge. With both sides still searching for their first victory of the season, and Telford having drawn both their matches against Hitchin last season, this Saturday's encounter promises to be a closely contested affair.
Matchday Information:
Tickets for Saturday's fixture will be available for purchase online until kick-off. To secure your seat in advance, visit the AFC Telford United ticket website. Further ticketing details can be found on the club's dedicated ticketing page.