Telford make priority plain by Walter Gammie

SUCH is the scale of the ambition at Telford United that securing the club's place in the Nationwide Conference is undeniably more important than pursuing a sixth Wembley appearance in the FA Umbro Trophy final.

Spectators at the all-ticket semi-final second leg at Bucks Head on Saturday, which Telford start trailing Kettering Town 1-0, will clearly see why. The area behind one goal is cordoned off as a stand is being pulled down. In 18 months' time Telford, thanks to Andy Shaw, their chairman, will have a 9.5 million stadium, facilities that will include a hotel, and a full-time squad that he hopes will be banging on the door of the Nationwide League.

Jake King, the manager, who started his second spell at the club a month ago, has seen the side move four points clear of the relegation places with successive home wins over Kettering and Sutton United. "We've got the second-best home record after Kidderminster," he said. "They've won 15 matches at home, and we've won 11. It's a different matter away from home, where we're the only side not to win a match. I think we've shown a bit of a lack of character."

He feels that his recruitment of the experienced Neil Moore, Brian Gayle, Gary Martindale and Roger Preece, the player-coach, has already helped to solve that difficulty and make good the spate of injuries endured by Alan Lewer, his predecessor. "We'll need to," King said, "We finish the season with six away matches. I'm positive and I'm sure we'll do it." The next test is tonight away to Southport.

A frustrated spectator at the other semi-final will be David Leworthy, the Kingstonian striker, who scored the winning goal in the quarter-final replay away to Southport. "I was limping at the time," he said. "I'd got a split in a cartilage from a tackle. I had a minor operation to take out a little bit of the cartilage and tidy up around the knee. I hope to be back for the last couple of weeks of the season."

Leworthy saw enough spirit from Sutton in the first leg not to dismiss their chances, despite Kingstonian having held them to a 1-1 draw and having home advantage on Saturday. He feels, nevertheless, that Kingstonian are approaching their best form again, helped by the success of new blood brought in by Geoff Chapple, the manager.

If Amara Simba, a France international who scored the goals that beat Scarborough 2-0 on Saturday is, at 38, at Leworthy's end of the age spectrum, Ronnie Green, promoted from the youth team, is only 18. The competition for a place at Wembley if he regains fitness could, Leworthy admits, be fierce. There is no doubting how much it would mean to return there after his side's 1-0 win over Forest Green Rovers last year.

"I was surprised," Leworthy said. "The day goes so quick. One moment you are arriving, the next you're in the bath after the game. It was such a big occasion, the 20,000 crowd generated such an atmosphere that with the great tradition of the place I'd love to get back again."