- Telford finished 11th in the National League North with 65 points in 2025/26 and are looking for a sharper edge this term.
- Brackley were relegated from the National League in 2025/26 and return to the National League North looking to bounce back.
Telford and Brackley set to scrap on opening day
AFC Telford United and Brackley Town lock horns in the National League North 2026 at New Bucks Head, England, on Saturday and the two fourth-tier clubs will look to start the new campaign with a win.
Telford finished a solid, but unspectacular, 11th in the 2025/26 National League North season, amassing 65 points and making for a mid-table performance that needs to be improved upon this time around.
The Aces had a mixed finish to the spring of 2026, winning 2-0 at Macclesfield and 2-1 at Peterborough Sports before drawing with Scarborough and Darlington and losing 2-1 to Southport and 3-0 to AFC Fylde.
Brackley are looking to put the pain of relegation from the National League behind them in 2026 and their return to the North should see them hit the ground running.
The Brackley-based club also finished the last campaign with a series of ups and downs - beating Aldershot at home, before drawing with Boston United and losing to Carlisle and Scunthorpe.
These two teams have produced some rip-roaring games over the years and, although recent encounters have been tighter, this one could erupt if Brackley start as they mean to go on.
The Brackley-based side are a shade under evens to take the win at 31/20, while Telford are 7/5 and the draw is 49/20, indicating the bookies expect a close encounter.
The hosts are the home side and should get the nod if this one goes to the wire, but we think the game will be closer than the odds suggest.
Telford boss Kevin Wilkin is an ex-defender and keeps his side tight and direct, winning matches with set-piece proficiency, fast breaks and the odd late run from his forwards.
Brackley boss Andy Whing has brought some structure and energy to his side and is trying to keep his team compact at the back while turning possession into quicker, more aggressive attacks.
These different styles should make the midfield the match within a match, with Matty Stenson their most obvious threat to the penalty area after finishing top scorer with 17 league goals in 2025/26.
Matt Lowe gives Brackley some flair and end product from the middle of the park and Connor Hall is a proven finisher, but Justin Donawa brings some width and punch from the flanks that could be key.
The H2H record features some crazy scorelines, such as Brackley's 6-0 thrashing at Telford in 2017 and the 3-0 win for the Aces in 2020, so it could get lively and Under 2.5 goals at 19/20 is just about our selection, while both teams to score at 3/5 seems a little short.
