Telford 2 Stalybridge Celtic 0 - Report and pictures

After failing to put away several chances in the first half, the Bucks made it count in the second period against an industrious Stalybridge Celtic side led by former Telford boss Liam Watson.

Peers buzzed around the Celtic defence all game and the summer signing was rewarded for his running two minutes before the hour mark when he notched his second goal in four days after latching onto a long ball forward.

Hibbert wrapped up proceedings four minutes from full-time with a similarly clinical finish that will have pleased manager Rob Smith after Telford's first three games of the season yielded just one goal for his team.

Victory was nothing less than the dominant hosts deserved against a Stalybridge side content to lump the ball forward and wait for set-pieces.

Telford dominated the first half and threatened the Celtic goal thanks to the busy running of Peers, but a lack of incision in the final third let them down.

Saturday's goalscorer had the first chance of the game when Matty Hughes slipped in the Celtic defence, but he couldn't squeeze his shot inside the near post.

David Hibbert had an ambitious shout for a penalty waved away before Peers was in the thick of it again, pivoting on the ball after Micah Evans burst down the left wing and seeing his shot deflect up into the hands of Tony McMillan.

Bucks boss Rob Smith was forced to make an early change when Jack Rea came off injured in the 12th minute but it didn't dent the home side's dominance.

Celtic seemed happy to pump the ball forward, as Peers continued to threatened at the other end.

His best chance of the half came when Josh Wilson's clever step-over sent him through one-on-one, but the ball got stuck under his feet, allowing Hughes to make a brilliant last-ditch tackle.

Minutes later Peers repaid the favour, sending Wilson through on goal with a defence-splitting stabbed pass, but this time McMillan saved well low to his right.

Former Telford striker Andy Owens gave the hosts a warning in between those chances when his lob went inches wide of James Montgomery's post, but the visitors were second best during a one-sided first period.

Gianluca Havern should have done better with a free header from a corner, and then five minutes before the break Hibbert scooped a crafty pass forwards to Peers.

The striker was bundled over in the box by the two Stalybridge centre-halves, but even though the home crowd shouted for a spot-kick, his own appeals were revealingly muted.

And the chances were still going begging at the start of the second half.

Three minutes after the break Wilson was sent clear, and he really should have scored with McMillan stranded, but a sneaky tug on his arm that wasn't penalised pulled him off-balance and his shot went wide.

Hibbert headed straight at the Celtic keeper soon after, before Peers finally made the breakthrough in the 58th minute.

Ironically, the goal came from Stalybridge's best chance of the game when Aaron Chalmers found Adam Farrell in acres of space on the edge of the Bucks box, but Darren Campion dispossessed him before launching a long ball over that caught out the Celtic defence.

This time Peers, who had made countless runs beyond all game, didn't fluff his lines, lifting the ball over the onrushing McMillan.

Hibbert, whose flick-ons were dangerous all game, nearly doubled the lead 18 minutes from time with a smart turn and shoot from the edge of the box, but it was deflected behind.

But the experienced striker got his goal four minutes before the end, volleying past McMillan after Celtic had failed to deal with a simple high ball over the top.

AFC Telford United (4-3-3): Montgomery, Samuels, Campion, Preston, Havern, Rea (Gittings 12), Dawson, Wilson, Hibbert, Peers (Bailey 83), Evans (Reynolds 60). Unused subs: Monaghan, Fowler.

Stalybridge Celtic FC (4-4-2): McMillan, Chalmers, Kelly, Hughes, Ryan, Platt (Wylie 60), Hynes, Wisdom, Owens (Sherlock 65), Farrell, Tames (Mukendi 72). Unused subs: Pilkington, Bagshaw.

Attendance: 1,014