GOAL-happy FC United gave Bamber Bridge the Halloween horrors as they ended their cup hoodoo with a 5-0 victory at Radcliffe last night.
Young midfielders Chris Baguley and Jerome Wright led the rout, giving Bamber a torrid time in a scintillating first-half of the UniBond League's President's Cup clash.
They were both hauled off by manager Karl Marginson, in an almost sympathetic substitution early in the second-half after helping the Rebels open up a five-goal lead.
FC went into the game on the back of four straight wins and hoped to put down a marker for the league clash with fellow promotion contenders Bridge in just over a fortnight.
Bamber lie two points behind FC in the league with a game in hand and have the best defensive record in the division but that statistic was made to look sickly as Marginson's side ripped into them from the off.
Chief tormentor was Wright, who made his intentions known in the second minute when he scored with an emphatic drive.
Eight minutes later, Wright was at it again as he fed off raking passes from Chris Baguley, himself in imperious form, alongside brother Jamie, making his first start for the club.
This time Wright left Telford for dead and weighed up the options before squaring it for Chris Baguley to stroke in the second.
The younger of the two Baguley brothers curled in a trademark free-kick on 20 minutes to virtually wrap the tie up.
It was four by half-time as Jamie Baguley got in on the act, slipping a smart pass through for another midfielder, Nicky Platt, to steal through and smash his shot past hapless keeper Graham Bennett.
Strikers Peter Thomson and Aaron Burns played a full part in the first- half rout without scoring, but former United reserve Burns made it four goals in four appearances with a thumping far post header from a corner.
FC UNITED recovered from a nightmare start to leapfrog Ossett Albion into second place in UniBond division one north.
Shane Kelsey stunned the Rebels as he ghosted in behind their defence to side-foot Ossett in front after just 35 seconds.
And it took a slice of good fortune to get Karl Marginson's men back on terms in the 40th minute when Chris Baguley's blocked shot hit Rory Patterson on the side of the head and went in.
Patterson squeezed in his 15th goal of the season to give FC an advantage they rarely looked like conceding and Peter Thomson added the third.
FC UNITED showed no mercy for a makeshift Droylsden side as they dumped the holders out of the Manchester Premier Cup at the Butcher's Arms.
Bloods boss Dave Pace carried out his threat to rest several first-team regulars, including skipper Steve Halford and strike duo Jody Banim and Chris Denham, ahead of Saturday's big FA Cup fourth qualifying-round clash at Corby.
And FC, who play three divisions below Droylsden, seized on that advantage over their struggling Blue Square Premier hosts to record a famous victory.
Cayne Hanley gave the Rebels a head-start when he rose above the Droylsden defence in the 12th minute to nod in Jerome Wright's cross.
And the tie was effectively settled when the visitors struck twice in a minute just before the hour to leave the Bloods trailing 3-0.
Nicky Platt was the architect on each occasion, first sending Aaron Burns clear to score and then starting the move which culminated in Burns squaring for Rory Patterson to add FC's third.
Gavin Salmon pulled one back in the 72nd minute, firing home from Robbie Talbot's cross. Terry Fearns further reduced the arrears with a 90th-minute penalty, but it was too late.
FC UNITED bounced back from their double-quick FA Cup and Trophy exits with two stunning Chris Baguley free-kicks giving them a badly-needed 2-1 UniBond first division north win over visiting Wakefield.
Baguley struck on the hour from 25 yards to give the Rebel Reds the lead, then repeated the trick with 10 minutes left after the Yorkshiremen had rocked their hosts by drawing level.
But FC's victory, which takes them up to seventh, came at a price as skipper Dave Chadwick now faces a spell on the sidelines after being stretchered off.
UNIBOND premier and division one north leaders, Witton Albion and Curzon Ashton, were each held to draws, but Vodkat League pacesetters Salford City beat Winsford 3-1.
FC UNITED crashed out of the FA Trophy on Wednesday night - but announced news of a remarkable new signing.
The Rebels suffered a record 4-1 home defeat to Bradford Park Avenue but completed the capture of last season's Manchester United reserve team top scorer Aaron Burns.
The 19-year-old striker was released by Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer and joined Championship side Cardiff, only to be edged out by the signings of Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
But a contractual restriction means Burns cannot play for a club above UniBond League level until the January transfer window, so FC have stepped in to pick him up until then.
That was a much-needed boost for FC fans who have this week lost last season's top scorer Stuart Rudd with a knee injury which could keep him out for the season.
They had to suffer again as Park Avenue produced a fine display.
The visitors took the lead at Radcliffe Borough when a defensive mix-up allowed centre forward Paul Gedman in for an easy finish.
As FC pushed for an equaliser they were blitzed on the counter-attack and Liam Flynn, Gedman again and sub Mike Moseley worsened the agony before Cayne Handley rifled in his first FC goal.
FC United must replay their FA Trophy preliminary round at Radcliffe on Wednesday night after hosts Bradford Park Avenue grabbed a controversial second-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
Top marksman Rory Patterson edged the Rebels in front 10 minutes after the break, but Avenue clawed back when striker Paul Gedman seemed to collide with keeper Sam Ashton.
The ball broke free and Gedman finished coolly.
FC boss Karl Marginson said the Bradford goal was a clear foul, but he was buoyed by his side's performance on the back of last Tuesday's woeful 3-1 league defeat at Skelmersdale.
"I said I wanted a 100 per cent improvement and I think I've got it," said Marginson.
Avenue adopted a defensive style from the start, inviting United to attack their goal with ease.
But a double injury blow for FC - striker Stuart Rudd and winger Adam Carden going off hurt - scuppered their forward play and they had to wait until the second half to pose a serious threat to Jon Worsnop's goal.
After being denied with three long-range efforts, Patterson made no mistake with his fourth chance.