Bucks 5 Hyde 0 - match report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHK8BB6x4Rk

If Andy Sinton had written a script for his first league game as AFC Telford United boss, it could hardly have bettered the real thing.

A victory, however it was achieved, would have done on the opening day of the season.

But a five-goal assassination job left Hyde humiliated and Telford revelling in the finest team performance seen at the New Bucks Head in many a year.

A crowd of just 1,501 – the lowest ever for AFC Telford's first home game of the season – suggested that many fans are still to be won round after the dismal football that had been served up last term.

Yet they may soon have to start slapping up the 'sold out' signs if this is the standard we can come to expect over the next nine months.

"From the first whistle, I thought we were outstanding," said Sinton. "We created numerous chances and I think we excited people.

"That's the way we want to play – it's not going to happen like that every time, I know that, and I told the players to enjoy it.

"They were fantastic and I'm proud of every one of them."

From a watertight defence, marshalled by the simply sensational Shane Killock, to a goal-hungry attack, the Bucks were on fire.

Sinton gave debuts to four of his summer signings in the starting line-up – right-back Will Salmon, centre-back Liam Murray, winger Greg Mills and striker Alex Meechan.

It was Mills who wreaked the most havoc, the on-loan Derby County teenager proving almost unplayable when cutting in from the left.

The link-up play between Andy Brown and Meechan was also very encouraging as the Bucks carved out a string of early chances.

Their domination deserved a goal and the only surprise was that it took 26 minutes to arrive.

It came from a Mills corner, Killock rising and heading goalwards, with Hyde skipper Michael Taylor – under pressure from Phil Trainer – heading past his own keeper.

That only served to lift the home side, who duly added a second soon after when Jon Adams delivered a terrific left-footed cross from the right flank and Brown rose majestically to produce a textbook header that gave keeper Craig Mawson no chance.

If Hyde thought they were in for an easier second half, they were soon to be disappointed.

Brown was only denied his second by a stunning save from Mawson, who tipped his 20-yard free-kick over the bar on 51 minutes.

Mills then found the side-netting while the luckless Meechan had a goal-bound shot deflected wide and Brown saw an overhead kick blocked on the line.

The tricky winger then forced Mawson into yet more heroics before Sinton introduced fresh legs to spice up his attack.

Steve Abbott brought more height and physical presence to the forward line but he showed he could play too, playing a neat one-two with Mills as the youngster bent in a brilliant third goal 12 minutes from time.

Hyde must have been praying for the final whistle by now, and had more problems as Philip John and James Lawrie came off the bench to take the number of Telford debutants to seven.

Former Port Vale man Lawrie, with just his second touch, raced onto an Abbott flick-on to make it 4-0 to the rampant hosts.

Hyde finally mustered a shot on target in the 90th minute Kyle Wilson firing tamely at keeper Ryan Young.

But the Bucks added insult to injury with a penalty deep into injury-time.

That came when Killock and Abbott combined to release Mills and his shot from a narrow angle was 'saved' by the hands of defender Chris Lynch.

Abbott took the resulting spot kick, sending Mawson the wrong way to complete a memorable day.

For Sinton now, the biggest problem might be managing expectation – because after this dazzling display it's just rocketed through the roof.

Match analysis by CHRIS HUDSON