History made as AFC Telford lift Skrill North title - match analysis

The only boss to lift the division's title on two occasions put himself out of sight as a force to be reckoned with by making it a hat-trick.

But what he's pulled off for AFC Telford, after just one season in charge, will forever see him remembered in Shropshire,

A top side are exactly that, whatever level you are playing at, and Watson has done what no-one has done before him.

Seven times the club, in all of their guises, have been champions, four times in the Birmingham & District League and three times in the Cheshire League.

But those sides were entirely committee selected, with no manager brought in until Dick Groves was appointed in October 1953, and that was all as Wellington Town.

Even the great old Telford United, three-time FA Trophy winners, couldn't win a league title despite all of their heroics before their subsequent downfall.

But that's what Watson has done and it's exactly what he said he would do from the moment he breezed through the doors last May.

A hangover after relegation from the Conference wouldn't have been a huge surprise. Ask fallen Football League club Stockport County, who could only finish 14th.

At the other end of the table, Watson's side and North Ferriby United were slugging it out on the last day of the season.

Both teams weren't exactly relishing the runners-up place and the second prize, a two-legged trip to Guiseley in the play-offs starting away from home on Wednesday night.

If Telford's last trip to Nethermoor Park in the league was anything to go by, that was a prospect they would have done anything to avoid.

An unwanted piece of history came on that ground at the start of the month with a club-record defeat. What a distant memory that night is now.

A spanner was thrown in the works before kick-off at the New Bucks Head with a pitch inspection called by referee Simon Barrow, due to heavy rain in the previous 24 hours.

But they got the game on and the playing surface will now enjoy a good rest, particularly after most of the stadium had trampled on it after the game!

They could barely contain themselves after the Bucks reached the promised land with goals from Mike Grogan, a penalty from Sean Clancy and a late third from Shaun Whalley.

North Ferriby's 1-1 draw at home to Brackley Town meant a point would have been enough, but Telford were not in the mood for taking any chances against Gainsborough Trinity.

The Bucks had already rippled the Gainsborough net before the deadlock was broken, with the offside flag denying them after 10 minutes.

Grogan played him through with a pass from the centre of midfield but Adam Farrell knew he had strayed offside, despite applying a cool finish past goalkeeper Phil Barnes.

But there was no denying Telford's opener on 18 minutes when Neill Byrne's effort in a goalmouth scramble hit the post and went back across goal for Grogan to tap in.

Clancy, who was absolutely everywhere in the first half, was unlucky not to finish the opening 45 minutes without a goal.

Barnes had already denied him at his near post early on and got down sharply again to push away his snap-shot in the 33rd minute, the ball running free after Whalley's long run had been halted.

The hosts continued to harass Gainsborough defenders after the break and the pressure told on the away side, when they conceded a penalty just seven minutes into the second period.

Whalley had the beating of Greg Young as the ball dropped in the box and was pulled down by the defender.

Manager Liam Watson opted for his designated penalty taker from the start of the season rather than Farrell, who had missed spot-kicks in his previous two games, to do the honours.

Up stepped Clancy to fire home despite Barnes going the wrong way.

Telford were buoyant and Whalley was tormentor-in-chief, robbing Grant Roberts but his powerful shot flew over the bar 10 minutes after the break.

Charlie Barnett arrived just before the hour for Alan Moogan with Watson convinced the job was a far way towards being done.

Robbie Booth was thrown on for Tony Gray in the 87th minute and made an immediate impact two minutes later.

Booth switched into central midfield and released Whalley to go one-on-one with Barnes, who rushed out to close the gap but the attacker slotted home to his right corner.

Supporters rushed onto the field to celebrate before the final whistle had even sounded, forcing a tannoy announcement for them to disperse in case they put the result in jeopardy.

They could not be halted when full-time did come as they rejoiced with players and management.

A crowd of 3,724 were in attendance, 46 short of the highest Conference North attendance of the season for Stockport County's home game against Altrincham.

But that fixture could by no means match what was on offer here. For those who decided to stay at home, you truly missed out.

By Craig Birch