Gainsborough 0 AFC Telford 5 - match report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTIhN-KnBW4

High fives, fist pumping and hugs all round - and that was just the AFC Telford United dugout as the celebrations started after another Super Saturday writes Chris Hudson.

For the second week running the Bucks had bagged a fabulous five, and they did it again with a convincing performance of quality and confidence.

Last week's opening day demolition job was inflicted upon a Hyde team expected to struggle over the next nine months.

But it's hard not to get excited when they repeat the trick against Brian Little's Gainsborough Trinity, an experienced and much-vaunted outfit hotly tipped for promotion.

Trinity were missing their captain, former Buck Gavin Cowan sidelined for at least the next three weeks by an ankle injury.

That alone, though, can hardly explain the events at The Northolme on Saturday as Telford took their hosts apart.

For Sinton, one of the most pleasing aspects must be the way the goals have been shared around the team - pre-season fears that too much pressure was on the shoulders of star striker Andy Brown are currently being made to look rather silly.

This time it was Phil Trainer who opened the scoring after 21 minutes - in rather fortuitous circumstances if we are to be truly honest.

He was evidently trying to pick out one of the three men in the box when he whipped in a cross from wide on the right, but the ball missed everyone and dropped in at the far post.

Up to then it had been an even contest, but Gainsborough now went into their shells as the Bucks ran them ragged.

The second goal came at a perfect time, just two minutes before the interval, and after some heavy pressure.

Trainer was denied by keeper Phil Barnes going for a second and winger Greg Mills then forced the former Grimsby No 1 into another reaction save from the rebound.

It was to be third time lucky though, as Mills pounced on the loose ball again and this time made no mistake.

Trinity chief Little might still have believed a comeback was possible at that stage, but his faith was stretched to breaking point as Carl Rodgers notched his first of the season 10 minutes into the second half. That came from Brown's flick-on off Will Salmon's long throw.

Within seven minutes it was four, Alex Meechan getting the reward his hard-working display deserved as he made the most of Jon Adams' threaded pass.

Gainsborough at last threatened as much travelled Jefferson Louis forced visiting keeper Ryan Young into a parried save and Leon Mettam blazed over off the rebound.

But that was no more than token resistance, and Telford centre-back Liam Murray soon made it five with a strong downward header off Mills' free-kick from wide on the right.

It's dreamland for the Bucks, Sinton having transformed the mood of the squad and fans after the woes of last term.

Three wins in a week has now cranked up expectation levels. A few weeks ago talk of even a play-off challenge was seen as fanciful by some, but now the title itself looks a goal for which it is worth aspiring.

Sinton's side certainly mean business - a fact to which shell-shocked Gainsborough would surely testify.

Goals are flowing freely and the well-oiled defence is basking in the satisfaction of three clean sheets to start the campaign.

And, most pleasing of all, there is still more to come from this Telford team.