The FA Trophy proved a graveyard for non-League’s biggest teams – with the likes of Wrexham, Fleetwood and Mansfield bowing out this weekend.

But, for AFC Telford United, it offered further proof of their resurrection as they cruised into the second round.

It’s now just one defeat in the last six games for Andy Sinton’s side, and they were rarely troubled by a young Nuneaton Town who are going well in the Blue Square Bet North.

Sinton largely kept faith with the side that so impressed in last Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with York City, with Steve Jones and Stuart Whitehead the only men to miss out.

• Andy Sinton sets AFC Telford sights on FA Trophy glory

Jones was rested as a precaution after picking up a hamstring injury in that game while Whitehead was allowed to stay away after the birth of his son Maxen on Thursday morning.

The Bucks looked more dangerous from the early stages of the contest and created a string of chances.

Sean Newton flashed a shot wide after strolling past Nuneaton’s makeshift right-back James Armson while Phil Trainer drew keeper Danny Alcock into a fine diving save.

It seemed only a matter of time before the deadlock would be broken and when it finally was on 25 minutes, it was ironic that it should be two men with strong Nuneaton connections who combined.

On-loan winger Ashley Cain, who was born in the Warwickshire town, provided the telling cross from the right and when home defender Guy Hadland sliced his attempted clearance Telford striker Andy Brown needed no second invitation to lash in against his former club.

• Nuneaton 0 AFC Telford 2 – In pictures

The visitors had the ball in the net again late in the first period, Trainer applying the finish after latching on to Brown’s mishit bicycle kick off a Will Salmon cross, but their joy was short-lived as an offside flag ruled the effort null and void.

That was probably the correct decision but Brown had stronger cause for complaint eight minutes into the second period when he leapt for an inviting free-kick from Salmon. Brown got above a flailing Alcock to head in, only to inexplicably be penalised for an alleged foul on the keeper.

It was a cruel blow for the Bucks and for some time it looked like it might prove costly as Nuneaton at last started to exert pressure of their own.

They came close as Danny Glover stung the hands of Telford’s in-form No 1 Ryan Young before Armson burst forward and struck a bullet of a shot that cannoned off the underside of the crossbar.

But Telford began to get to grips with the game again, helped by the introduction of leading scorer Chris Sharp.

Sharp has completed a three-match ban and looked hungry to make up for lost time after coming on to replace Nathan Rooney inside the final 20 minutes.

The former TNS hitman looked a handful for all of that period and got his reward a minute into stoppage time as he dispossessed Gareth Dean on the halfway line and made a surging forward run before finishing clinically to make the victory secure.

It was no less than Telford deserved for what was a thoroughly professional job.

The road to Wembley is a long one but some of the biggest potential obstacles have already fallen by the wayside so there is no reason why the Bucks cannot dare to dream.