AFC Telford 1 Bradford Park Avenue 4 - Report and pictures
A series of high-profile errors led to AFC Telford United being thrashed 4-1 at home by Bradford Park Avenue.
Rob Edwards' inexperienced side were given a hard lesson by the visitors, who had former Bucks captain Luca Havern, Adam Boyes, Adam Nowakowski and Oli Johnson find the net.
Marcus Dinanga's header proved to be a mere consolation for the hosts, who are still looking for their first win of the National League North season at the New Bucks Head.
Analysis
Both teams had the same record in the league - two wins from five games - going into this clash.
Telford stuck with the 3-5-2 formation that was used as they won 1-0 at Darlington last weekend, but made two changes to the starting line-up.
Louis McGrory, a former Forest Green Rovers midfielder who was signed yesterday, came in for his debut and Kieran Dunbar was included, with Jon Royle dropping to the bench and Jack Rea out of the squad due to an ankle knock.
Jordan Gough (hip) and John Marsden (ankle) were also left out again.
Meanwhile, Avenue had Wayne Brooksby, who netted a hat-trick as this fixture ended 3-1 to the visitors last season, and former Shrewsbury Town man Nicky Wroe in the first 11. Ex-Wolves defender Matt Hill was on the bench.
The Bucks made a very sluggish start to the affair, giving the ball away too easily and too frequently.
And they were soon made to pay, with a familiar face putting Avenue ahead 12 minutes in.
Johnson had already tested the reflexes of Jas Singh before Havern, who skippered Telford last season, was left unmarked at the back post to head in after a corner - a poor goal to concede.
After that, Edwards' side were desperate to get the ball forward.
They were a little too eager, though, mainly having ambitious passes cut out by a streetwise Avenue defence.
The Bucks defence were taking far too many risks as well and Aaron Hayden was caught cold as the away side doubled their lead shortly after the half-hour mark.
Hayden - on loan from Wolves - took far too long to make a pass and was tackled by Johnson, who burst forward and unselfishly teed up Boyer to slot home in the box.
Telford almost pulled one back as Johnson smashed the ball just over his own crossbar, a few minutes before they conceded again - once more in woeful circumstances.
Avenue midfielder Nowakowski tapped in at the near post after a low corner and, despite it not being the most powerful of efforts, Singh could not keep it out.
A dreadful first half - men against boys.
Unsurprisingly, Edwards made a change at the interval - Curtis Strong replacing Dunbar.
They started the second period better, being more accurate with their passes, but were unable to break through the robust visitors.
The same mistakes were being made at the back, though, and Avenue had Johnson, Boyer (twice) and Wroe go close before the hour mark.
The Bucks made another substitution 57 minutes in, Will Marsh replacing Matthew Barnes-Homer, and got a goal back not long after.
A sweet cross from Strong was headed in from around six yards out by Dinanga - his second strike since arriving on a season-long youth loan from Burton Albion.
That goal changed very little in the grand scheme of things, though, as Avenue restored a three-goal lead in the 77th minute.
Johnson, who troubled the Telford defence all afternoon, saw his low strike deflect over a despairing Singh and into the back of the net.
The away side almost grabbed a fifth - Boyes' strike being tipped over - before a much-welcome final whistle for Edwards' side.
Key moments
12 - Goal! The visitors take the lead, through former Telford captain Luca Havern. The defender ghosts in at the back post to head home after a low corner - too easy.
34 - Goal! It is 2-0 to Avenue, courtesy of some woeful defending from the hosts. Oli Johnson catches Aaron Hayden napping before passing the ball to Adam Boyes, who coolly slots past Jas Singh.
38 - Very nearly an equaliser for Telford. Johnson, not under any major pressure, fires just over his own goal after Elliot Newby's cross from the left.
41 - Goal! More awful defending sees the away side go three ahead. Adam Nowakowski, unmarked, taps in at the near post after another low corner. The Bucks are not learning from their mistakes.
68 - Goal! Telford pull one back through Marcus Dinanga. The striker, who is on loan from Burton Albion, heads in after Curtis Strong's nice cross from the left.
77 - Goal! Avenue are three ahead once again. A quick counter-attack ends with Johnson firing in, via a hefty deflection.
Teams
Telford (3-5-2): Singh; Hayden (Dwyer, 75), Sutton (c), White; Simpson, McGrory, Dunbar (Strong, 45), Lussey, Newby; Barnes-Homer (Marsh, 57), Dinanga
Subs not used: Royle, Martinez (gk)
Bradford (4-5-1): Drench (Hall, 90); Toulson, Ross, Havern, Clee; Brooksby, Wroe (c), Nowakowski (Hill, 73), Spencer, Johnson (Lyn, 83); Boyes
Subs not used: Knowles, Knight
Man of the match
Marcus Dinanga - Most of Telford's players performed poorly but Dinanga, starved of service for most of the afternoon, managed to get on the scoresheet and provide the Bucks fans with something to cheer.
