An injury crisis left boss Neil Aspin with just three fit defenders approaching yesterday's transfer deadline and the Town manager pushed through two late signings at the 11th hour.

Experienced 33-year-old left-back Tim Ryan joins from Darlington while Aspin has also snapped up promising 19-year-old centre-back Shane Killock from Huddersfield Town on a one month's loan.

At least one of them looks likely to start as Town welcome ambitious AFC Telford tonight – many people's idea of this year's title winners.

Town have also begun with a bang and sit second after Saturday's home victory against Hyde United made it 13 points out of a possible 18.

However, with defenders Justin Whittle (thigh), Nathan Peat (knee) and Aaron Hardy (ankle) all injured, Aspin admits this is hardly the ideal time to be taking on a team like Telford.

"If I could put my full team out, I'd be sat here quite confident but obviously it is an unknown quantity when you are bringing people in," said Aspin.

"They won't have had time to settle in and then you are throwing them straight in to play and so you are always taking a bit of a chance.
"This will be our toughest test of the season so far, there's no doubt about that.

"So far we've been reasonably comfortable at home, we've played extremely well and we deserved to score four or five on Saturday with the football we played.

"But this will be a really big test, I'm looking forward to the game but we have just been unfortunate with the injuries.

"I'm delighted with the start we've had, very pleased, but the problem is we now have quite a few injuries.

"In previous years we have been lucky with injuries but this season we are really picking them up."

Telford actually suffered a 1-0 defeat at Droylsden on Saturday but the club are intent on promotion and boss Rob Smith has formed a potentially potent strikeforce having signed Terry Fearns and Andy Brown.

Aspin knows over the course of the year the Bucks could take some stopping.

"At the start of the season everyone fancied Telford and they've signed a striker from Nuneaton and Terry Fearns who has an excellent goal scoring record," said Aspin.

"They have got two big hitters upfront and they have got to be one of the favourites to go up."

Meanwhile, boss John Deacey is demanding Farsley Celtic toughen up for tonight's trip to Gainsborough Trinity (7.45pm).

Farsley are only 12th at present and suffered their third defeat of the season on Saturday when a physical Redditch United pulled off a 3-1 victory.

Deacey anticipates another rough and ready approach from Gainsborough and wants his men to show more mettle.

"It's been rubbish so far and we wer very poor on Saturday, we really were," said Deacey. "Teams seem to be getting in our faces, putting us under a lot of pressure and when they do we seem to struggle. We need to have a bit more steel.

"I expect the same at Gainsborough and word will get around that Farsley won't hurt you if you get in their faces. We need to overcome that."

Amjad Iqbal should finally return tonight while Deacey revealed Craig Bentham is likely to return to the starting line up.
lee.sobot@ypn.co.uk