Shropshire Star

Telford 4 Droylsden 2 - Report and pictures

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was the star of the show as AFC Telford United advanced in the FA Trophy with a 4-2 win against Droylsden.

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Ebanks-Blake celebrates his second goal. Picture: Tim Roberts

This third qualifying round clash was far from easy for the Bucks.

The Bloods - who play two divisions below Rob Edwards' side - led twice in the first half, with Ciaran Kilheeney and Sefton Gonzales both scoring from a few yards out.

Former Wolves hotshot Ebanks-Blake - whose signing was announced yesterday - showed his class as he equalised twice, with Telford finally pulling clear deep into the second half as John Marsden and Marcus Dinanga struck.

The victory means the Bucks are in the hat for the first round draw, which takes place on Monday.

Analysis

It was a kamikaze first half. There was some fine attacking play from both teams, but also some terrible defending, writes Joe Edwards.

The visitors broke the deadlock just three minutes in as Kilheeney, unmarked, stroked the ball home from a few yards out.

And Droylsden could have - and should have - been three ahead by the time Ebanks-Blake pulled Telford level with a finish of unsurprisingly high quality.

The Bucks completely switched off yet again as target man Gonzales headed in from close range just after the half-hour mark, with Ebanks-Blake doing the same thing within less than a minute to make it 2-2.

Telford were being carved open way too easily and were indebted to the ruthlessness of Ebanks-Blake.

Edwards, understandably, cut a very frustrated figure as he emerged from the tunnel - and took a seat alone in the dugout to collect his thoughts - before the second period got under way.

Max Leonard missed a gilt-edged opportunity to put the Bucks ahead before the hour mark, but Marsden made the most of the chance that came his way.

A player that was sorely missed for the four games he spent on the sidelines with an ankle injury, he has scored in each of the matches since his return.

Top scorer Dinanga - who missed a few clear-cut chances in the first half - then made sure of the victory late on.

Key moments

3 - GOAL! Telford 0-1 Droylsden. Ciaran Kilheeney puts the visitors ahead. An awful start from the Bucks. Just after Liam Caddick misses a huge chance for the Bloods, Kilheeney is given the time and space to slot the ball home from a few yards out. Criminal defending.

26 - GOAL! Sylvan Ebanks-Blake scores on his Telford debut to make it 1-1. Marcus Dinanga's clever through-ball finds the ex-Wolves striker, who takes a touch before coolly slotting the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot. A quality finish from the 31-year-old.

31 - GOAL! Telford 1-2 Droylsden. Sefton Gonzales puts the away side back in front. Simply woeful defending from the Bucks. How can a man of Gonzales's size - at least 6 ft 3 in - be given so much room in the area? He heads in following Luke Daly's cross from the right-hand side.

32 - GOAL! Ebanks-Blake strikes again and it is 2-2. Seconds after the restart, he heads in from close range after Dinanga's cross. The former Manchester United youngster certainly has not lost his goalscoring touch. Sharp-shooter.

53 - Huge miss from Telford's Max Leonard. In acres of space at the back post, he scissor-kicks the ball wide. He should have headed it.

72 - GOAL! John Marsden gives the Bucks the lead. A deflected shot kindly drops for him and he smashes the ball into the top corner.

80 - GOAL! Dinanga puts the result beyond doubt for Telford. Marsden, unselfishly, squares the ball to the Burton Albion loanee for him to dribble it into the empty net.

Team

Telford (4-2-3-1): Singh; Simpson (Lussey, 58), Hayden, Sutton (c), White; Royle, Leonard (Cowans, 64); Dinanga, Marsden, Newby; Ebanks-Blake (Dwyer, 83)

Subs not used: Murphy, Martinez (gk)

Droylsden (4-4-2): Branagan; Clarke, Shaw, Frost, Barber (Hall, 74); Daly, Dylan Smith, Ventre (Holden, 70), Caddick (Dominic Smith, 70); Kilheeney (c), Gonzales

Subs not used: Coates, Frost

Man of the Match

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake - A brace on his debut, Ebanks-Blake is out to prove a point and was clinical in front of goal. 8/10