AFC Telford Utd 3 Corby Town 2

Corby" class="imageframe imgalignright" height="130" src="http://www.shropshirestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/29bucks5tm.jpg" title="Bucks v Corby" width="175"/>Match report by Chris Hudson

Terry Fearns got one irritating monkey off his back as he ended his personal goal drought in spectacular fashion.

His first half hat-trick, bringing a halt to a run of seven games without a goal, will rightly grab headlines - but it is the longer-term implications for his team that could prove so much more valuable.

Telford and the FA Cup has been a recipe for magic in years gone by - with so many great memories locked in the minds of fans who followed the old club to the likes of Darlington, Bradford, Everton and Crewe.

The new incarnation has not been able to live up to that legend, winning just one tie - a first qualifying round clash with Rugby Town in 2005-06 - since its formation in 2004.

Now entering the competition at the second qualifying round stage because of their Blue Square North status, this victory puts them within two victories of the first round proper for the first time ever.

Not that it was anywhere near being a routine success. The BGB Southern League high-fliers put up a real fight and made Telford work for it all the way.

Indeed, an upset could have been on the cards as the Steelmen took a sixth minute lead, Ollie Burgess converting from a narrow angle to the left of the goal.

As the Bucks reeled, it was time for Fearns to step up to the plate and announce his return to form in spectacular fashion.

Low on confidence, he had been dropped for the 1-1 draw at Gateshead last week and his promotion back to the starting line-up raised a few eyebrows in the crowd before the game.

Manager Rob Smith knows what his ace marksman can do though, and his loyalty was rewarded three times over.

The Scouse ace drew his side level on 11 minutes, getting on the end of a perfect cross to the back post from his impressive strike partner Andy Brown.

His second was a well-struck half-volley off a Gavin Cowan cross from the left, the 30-year-old showing great composure by taking his time to pick his spot.

He could have completed his hat-trick on 34 minutes but timed his run wrong and was stopped in his tracks by an offside flag even as he set himself to shoot from just six yards out.

He didn't have long to wait though, making sure of his second treble of the season three minutes before half-time as he benefited from another great cross from Brown to score in almost identi-kit fashion to his first.

Well hit

That seemed to spell the end of the game as a contest, but Corby once again displayed a determination and tenacity that should stand them well in their promotion bid this season.

Every successful team also needs a little bit of luck along the way, of course, and Corby got that too, as they cut the deficit just three minutes into the second half.

Steve Towers' 30-yard strike was undoubtedly well hit, but would probably still have been dealt with by Young had it not taken a massive deflection off Telford skipper Stuart Whitehead that left the No 1 with absolutely no chance.

The hosts then enjoyed their best spell of pressure of the afternoon and really should have put the game out of sight.

Corby had to cope with a bombardment of corners and Fearns went close to a fourth as he stretched inside the six-yard box but couldn't get a good enough contact.

The Steelmen still threatened on the break and substitute Steve Diggin went close after some fancy footwork that saw him shimmy past Indy Khela.

Mettam also saw a shot trickle inches wide as a counter-attack ended in more disappointment.

The Bucks still could have had a more comfortable finish though, Liam Blakeman seeing an effort cleared off the line by Dean West.

As it was, they did just enough. Their FA Cup journey could only just be beginning.

Match facts:

AFC TELFORD: Young, Vaughan, Blakeman (Nwadike 77), Cowan, Whitehead, Khela, Adams, Vermiglio, Fearns (Stevens 90), Brown, Moore (Naylor 84). Subs not used: Jagielka, Rodgers. Booked: Brown (70) - dissent, Naylor (88) - rash tackle.

CORBY: Osborn, West (Battersby 75), Duckett, Bains, Warren, Hibbert, O'Halloran (Diggin 56), Towers, Nolan, Mettam, Burgess (Watt 19). Subs not used: Hughes, Stevenson, Crockett. Booked: Hibbert (51) - succession of fouls.

REFEREE: S Bennett (Kidsgrove).

ATTENDANCE: 1,262 (including 66 from Corby).

Goal log:

0-1 Burgess (6) - got on the end of a diagonal ball and coolly slotted in with a shot on the angle, firing under Young into the far corner.

1-1 Fearns (11) - had the simplest of tasks to convert at the end of a flowing Telford move. Adams played the ball out to Brown and he put the goal on the plate for his strike partner with the most inviting of crosses.

2-1 Fearns (25) - got on the end of Cowan's cross from the left and lashed past keeper Osborn on the half-volley.

3-1 Fearns (42) - the striker completed his hat-trick with a near-carbon copy of his first, tapping in off another cross from Brown.

3-2 Towers (48) - struck a fierce shot from a free-kick routine that took a wicked deflection off Whitehead and gave Young no chance.

See also - London calling for Bucks