Telford boss Wilkin backs Poppies to ‘rise stronger’ from the ashes of play-off failure
Triumphant AFC Telford United boss Kevin Wilkin believes Kettering Town ‘will rise stronger’ from their play-off final heartbreak.
Wilkin knows a thing or two about failing to win promotion via the play-offs, with the former Brackley Town boss having failed on his four previous attempts.
Indeed, Telford were beaten in last season’s Premier Central play-off final, going down 1-0 at home to Leamington.
But it all came good for him and his Telford side at Latimer Park on Bank Holiday Monday, as the Bucks scored three times in the final 20 minutes to fight back from 2-1 down to win 4-2 and seal a place in the Vanarama National League North next season.
For the Poppies and their manager Richard Lavery, it was a painful experience as they face up to another season in the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central, but Wilkin is backing them to bounce back when the new season starts in August.
"It's incredibly tough for Kettering to have to swallow that,” said Wilkin.
“They've had terrific season, are a terrific group and club and you do feel for them in those moments - I've been there myself.
"But they will rise stronger from that situation and become stronger for it.
"It's a lovely way to win promotion but it's a cruel way to lose it too - I've been there so many times and my thoughts do go to Richard and the team."
On his team’s impressive triumph against the Poppies, Wilkin said: "I made no secret about it that I've been rubbish at play-offs over the last few years - although I've got fairly close on a couple of occasions. It's great, I love it and it was our day this time.
"The resilience we showed and kept people believing, we have had to really scrap and battle to get into that moment. I thought in the second half we were outstanding."
Wilkin revealed after his side’s win that after training on Saturday, Telford's players were shown a video to inspire them for one final game, and it appeared to do the trick.
"We showed them a few clips from when we have come from behind, staring down the barrel at St Ives when losing 2-0, at Royston when we were 3-1 down with seconds or minutes to go and still managed to drag something out of the game,” said the former Northampton Town striker.
"We've shown the resilience we knew we had. The changes we made were positive (on 65 minutes), and the lads on the field kept believing."