Second half goals from Danny Carey-Bertram and Terry Fearns put the Bucks’ FA Trophy campaign on track as they effectively demolished Gainsborough.
The Bucks rose easily to the challenge, putting their FA Cup defeat at Southend comfortably behind them.
Patience was the watchword as they had to wait for the final 15 minutes to finally net the goals their superiority throughout the match well deserved.
Victory, however, came at a cost and a knee injury suffered by captain Stuart Whitehead is expected to keep him sidelined for two weeks. Initial fears that he had done medial ligament damage proved unfounded and a specialist diagnosed only internal bruising.
The Bucks have been drawn away to FC United of Manchester or Boston United in the first round of the Trophy proper. Those teams were in a replay last night after Saturday’s match was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.
The Bucks will play the winners on Saturday, December 13, although that could change if FC United win, because they play at Bury’s Giff Lane and the League Two side are at home to Port Vale that day.
Whitehead’s injury apart, Bucks boss Rob Smith was well pleased at the way his team responded after the disappointments of defeat in the FA Cup and the team’s tails are up with the prospect of a run in a different cup.
“It’s a great draw and definitely a winnable one, whoever we get,” said Smith.
The Bucks peformance at Gainsborough was a thoroughly convincing one and showed no signs of any hangover from events at Southend in the FA Cup, which was their first defeat in 16 games.
Smith’s team selection showed a willingness to shuffle his pack, with influential striker Andy Brown rested to make room for Carey-Bertram’s return.
Man of the moment Jon Adams - the star performer whose two goals took the Southend tie to a replay - was also benched, along with Lee Moore.
It says a lot for Telford’s squad that the changes did not disturb their rhythm, and they were worthy winners.
The home side had rarely threatened to cause Telford problems and the Bucks should have been ahead by the break.
They had to wait until the 75th minute until Carey-Bertram converted a cross to a goal on the half volley.
Trinity never threatened an equaliser and Telford’s victory was confirmed as Terry Fearns hammered a 25 yard shot two minutes into stoppage time.