Non-league previews: Shifnal Town ramp up the pressure on league leaders Lichfield City

Patterson couldn’t ‘fault a single player in that squad’, after Town won the Midland League Premier Division Shropshire derby 3-0 thanks to first-half goals from Kev Monteiro, Lewis Jarman and Sam Fitzgerald.

Shifnal have four games left to close the four-point gap to league leaders Lichfield City, the first of which sees them travel to relegation-threatened Highgate United, who are four points from safety, on Saturday (3pm).

“We just want to get out of this league and kick on as a group now,” Patterson said. “You live and learn and over the season - we didn't have the best of starts and it's probably come to bite us at the back end of the season.

“But you know credit to Lichfield, if they go on to win every game now, they deserve to win it, but I'd imagine it has put the pressure on them now.

“We'll see what they're going to do in the next few games.”

Patterson said his side were ‘faultless’ in their midweek performance, going on to record their 20th clean sheet of the season, twice as many as Lichfield.

“Last night mate they were unbelievable bad to the man," he added. "They know what needs to be done now. As of late, I can't fault a single player in that squad mate. They've been absolutely unbelievable.

“We didn't even really get out of first gear. I'm totally honest. We started off very strong, very fast and we put them to bed. 

“Second half was kind of just cruise control, really. managing the game, seeing it out. And you know, we did want to go on and put another three or four past them, but it was one of them. 

“We weren't chasing the goal, so we didn't go and take the risk that we took in the first half. We just took the three points. And I just said to the lads, a clean sheet was vital for us.”

Whitchurch are now eight points outside the play-off spots, with only a game in hand on 1874 Northwich, and two on Brocton. They travel to 13th-placed Northwich Victoria on Saturday.

Following on from a 3-3 draw with fourth-placed Coton Green, AFC Bridgnorth travel to almost-relegated Wednesfield in Midland League Division One.

Second-bottom Shawbury United need to win at Wolverhampton Sporting Community, who are bottom of North West Counties Division One South, to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.

Shropshire also hosts the top two in the division as second-placed Stafford Town visit struggling Allscott Heath, as title-favourites Winsford United travel to Market Drayton Town.

Ludlow Town host Hellenic League Division One play-off hopefuls Clanfield 85, while Telford Town have a chance to secure the West Midlands Premier Division title and automatic promotion when they travel to Gornal Colts (2pm).