FA Trophy: Telford 0 Leamington 5 - Report and pictures

The Bucks were already 1-0 down against their National North rivals by the time Riccardo Calder saw red after half hour.

Gavin Cowan’s Telford held firm until the break but fell apart for March’s treble either side of the hour.

George Carline, who netted Leamington’s opener, added the fifth for the rampant Brakes who will go to step three Kingstonian in round two after a night to forget for the hosts.

The Bucks were given a pre-match boost for this rescheduled first round tie as loan players Matt Yates, Matty Stenson and Ryan Barnett were granted permission to play.

The trio were not involved in the previous round’s win at Guiseley.

Yates and Stenson kept their place with Shrewsbury youngster Barnett on the bench.

Telford were without midfielder Ellis Deeney, who was serving a one-match suspension for his two yellow cards against Farsley Celtic.

Marcus Dinanga was given the nod over Aaron Williams as Cowan opted for a 4-2-3-1 system with Dinanga and Brendon Daniels in wide role in support of lone frontman Stenson.

Alongside the £4,500 prize pot, the Bucks knew a second round tie against lower-ranked opposition in the form of Isthmian Premier Kingstonian was at stake.

Memories from the fine run in last season’s competition, where Cowan’s men fell one step from Wembley, still stirred with everyone connected to the club.

The visiting Brakes, with familiar names aplenty including full-back Steph Morley who left Telford just three months ago, were eyeing progression themselves.

The New Bucks Head crowd was a sparse one on a chilly evening after Telford volunteers had worked tirelessly to make the surface playable following Saturday’s postponement.

A competitive opening saw James McQuilkin booked for a late tackle, while Leamington’s Junior English and home man Zak Lilly just about went unpunished.

Telford were sluggish and having already survived a Theo Streete error as Callum Gittings went close, the visitors led.

The hosts failed to clear a cross from the right and Carline swept a fine low finish beyond Yates.

The Bucks continuously failed to find a white shirt and Leamington should have gone further ahead. Jack Edwards’ strike from distance was well saved by Yates before the Brakes somehow couldn’t convert from a scrambled corner.

Adam Walker, captain for the night, got his side going with a powerful charge down the centre of the field. Daniels swung in a cross from the left, finding Stenson, but the striker dallied and his tame shot was blocked.

Barely 10 seconds later the Bucks were a man down. A long ball caught them out and last man Calder brought down Kaiman Anderson just outside the box. Referee Richard Holmes dished out a straight red.

Cowan reacted by bringing on Shane Sutton for Dinanga, a switch that drew boos from the home fans.

Telford looked a little static at times but largely improved after going down to 10 men and were the better side for the final 10 minutes of the first period without finding a leveller and took heart with the deficit at just one.

The Bucks started the second period well, with Daniels a threat down the left. His cross was flicked off-target by Knights.

Leamington remained a threat and Carline was denied smartly by Yates after the Brakes man was forced a little wide.

Stenson had been Telford’s bright spark all evening but succumbed to what appeared a hamstring injury eight minutes into the second half and was replaced by Aaron Williams.

Ex-Telford man Gittings drove narrowly wide from distance as the visitors took complete control with the floodgates burst open.

A loose backpass from Arlen Birch left Yates short and the keeper clearly upended Carline just inside the box.

March clinically dispatched his first from the spot.

Two minutes later March buried his second and Leamington’s third with a lovely header into the corner from a left-sided free-kick.

Cowan reacted by sending on Barnett but the damage was done and compounded two minutes later as March glided on to a ball over the top to slide in an easy finish.

March was substituted minutes later, much to Telford’s relief after his stunning second-half contribution.

The intensity fell away from the Brakes’ display as ironic chants set in from the pocket of travelling fans.

There was still time for Carline to bag his second, heading in a corner all too easily while unopposed at the back post.

Sub Williams somehow headed over an open goal from two yards leaving Bucks fans dumbfounded in the closing stages.

It was an extremely forgettable end to the FA Trophy campaign of 2019/20 as Cowan’s men barely laid a glove on their league rivals.

AFC Telford United (4-2-3-1):

Yates; Birch, Lilly, Streete, Calder; Walker ©, McQuilkin; Dinanga (Sutton, 33), Knights (Barnett, 60), Daniels; Stenson (Williams, 53).

Subs not used: Martinez, White, Barnes-Homer.

Leamington (4-2-3-1):

Weaver; English, Mace, Lane, Morley; Maycock, Gittings (Murphy, 75), Edwards ©, Carline, Anderson (Dunbar, 73), March (Taylor, 65).

Subs not used: Walters, Allen.

Referee: Richard Holmes