Fresh from last weeks pasting of Fitzooth and Firkin, Mould returned to the scene of their triumph with far more trepidation. This time out it was the battle of the league champions - Division 1 versus Division 2. The pre-match wise money was on Telford - a team who won the championship at a canter last season, but who were looking to bounce back after a defeat in the opening game. Mould, it seemed, were lambs to the slaughter.

The opening period suggested that it would shortly be time to ready the mint sauce. Though evenly matched in most areas of the pitch, it was in front of goal that Telford showed their class. Mould , content to defend deeply and allow Telford to shoot from distance, were very quickly rueing their choice of tactics. Within five minutes of the whistle they were behind as a twenty yard shot flew past the Tash and into the back of the net.

Mould refused to be overawed and came out fighting.. and the Telford defence began to creak. Five minutes later a brace from KNIGHT had edged Mould ahead as some slick pass and movement in the centre of the pitch created openings.

The lead didn't last long as Telford stepped up a gear in the sweltering heat of the inside pitch. A combination of sloppy defending and top drawer finishing put Telford 4-2 up and appeared to put the match out of Mould's reach.

But Mould refused to lie down. Another fine surge by LEESE split the Telford defence and he crashed a shot home to narrow the lead - but Telford quickly restored the two goal advantage with another unstoppable shot - 5-3. It was then tit-fot-tat as KNIGHT completed his hat trick, only for Telford to score once more.

Ten minutes remained on the clock, and with Mould still two goals down it was looking bleak. Then, at last, some luck. A mis-hit shot from Cox ran into the path of KNIGHT who (mis) controlled it with one touch and poked it in with the next. Minutes later COX got it right as he danced the electric boogaloo through the remnants of defence, dummied the keeper and buried the shot. All square!

Then, amazingly, Mould scored again. KNIGHT who hadn't hit a barn door in the past half dozen games, was put through by Cox and he tucked the ball just inside the far post to edge Mould ahead - as injury time beckoned.

It was then backs against the wall, but in truth Mould could also have extended their lead. In particular a fine left-foot volley from Leese was somehow kept out by the keeper when it deserved more.

As the final whistle sounded there were murmurs of a championship run. Improbable, but on this form, who would now bet against it...?

Mould: Tash, Owen, Knight, Dunkley, Knowles, Leese, Cox
MoM: The Tash - for nearly stopping some of those shots!

Mould FC

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