Shawbury boss furious with Bridgnorth

Armstrong was sent off against his former club in Saturday's feisty table-topping Shropshire derby in the West Midlands Premier League.

He appeared to throw his head into one of his former team-mates, but Richards was furious at the tackles flying in on the teenager.

He joined Shawbury from Bridgnorth roughly a month ago, with Richards saying: "It was absolutely disgraceful treatment.

"The one that Liam retaliated to is a leg breaker, a really high tackle. They were out to injure him. In my view, they should have had three players sent off."

The match finished goalless, which keeps Shawbury 10 points clear at the top of the table. Haughmond didn't play and so Bridgnorth stay second with four games in hand.

The leaders have now kept seven clean sheets in their last eight games, and even though Shawbury had chances, Richards was content with the stalemate.

He said: "We're happy to be where we are. It's always better to have points on the board than games in hand."

Ellesmere Rangers staged a stunning second-half comeback to draw 3-3 with Wellington after being 3-0 down at half-time.

Director of football Alan Davis said: "It was a terrible first-half. Even though we had most of the play it was just three lapses at the back.

"We had a few chosen words at half-time, went out and just blitzed them."

Josh Parker scrambled the first goal in five minutes after the break and the comeback was completed 15 minutes into the half.

Davis added: "We were disappointed not to win the game. We put them under pressure for the rest of the game but couldn't quite get the winner."

Eighth-placed Rangers face Bridgnorth this weekend and then Shawbury after that.

Second-bottom Wellington Amateurs failed to capitalise on an opportunity to reel in third-bottom Bromyard Town, losing 4-0 away to their league rivals.

The Ams are now nine points behind Saturday's opponents with one win in eight.

Shifnal Town consolidated their lead at the top of the West Midlands League Division One table with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Kington.

However, Shifnal made heavy weather of it against a workmanlike Kington side that lacked someone to finish off chances that they created.

Tom Hill got the all-important goals for Shifnal, who lead the division by six points from AFC Ludlow who had the weekend off.

Shifnal came close to opening the scoring when Toby Lumbard's low cross found Hill, but his touch was not quite strong enough and the keeper saved at the second attempt.

But Hill was not to be denied and struck when he rounded Bryan Kirkham and slotted home from an acute angle.

The home side doubled their lead after 51 minutes. Craig Love played the ball through for Hill and he fired home a first time shot from 25 yards.

A minute later, Parry was again through on goal, only to be denied once more by a fine save at full stretch by the goalkeeper.

The visitors did pull a goal back after 62 minutes, when a defensive mix-up and a fortunate ricochet left Tom Rowlands an open goal to tap into.

Two late goals sentenced St Martins to a disappointing reverse at revitalised Team Dudley to dent their Division One prospects.

Having defeated their hosts just a few weeks back, the Saints had their sights set on securing a swift double.

However, they found their rivals up for the battle under new management as two goals in the last four minutes settled the issue on a tricky surface.

After an initial midfield stalemate, the visitors began to carve some promising openings.

Shawn Melusi chipping at the keeper while moments later Dan Graham's cross from the right just eluded Karl Bailey, who also had a strike deflected for a corner.

Dudley sounded a warning when forcing Shin Miah to head a corner off the goal-line.

But St Martins took the lead just before half-time with a low free-kick from Melusi, after Callum Bennett had been fouled.

However, the visitors struggled to get into the game after the break, and Team Dudley posed an increasing threat.

The home side went close to levelling on 75 minutes as a deflected strike from centre-half Chris Knight rattled the bar, and moments later Ryan Spittle put his shot wide when well placed.

But Dudley struck on 86 minutes when Miles Nettleton pounced on a rebound to level, before man-of-the-match Knight ventured upfield to fire home the winner four minutes later.

This sparked the Saints into life, but it was all too late as they spurned a couple of chances to level in injury time.

It was a disappointing outcome for Ryan Butcher's side who were hoping to bounce back away to the Wrens Nest on Wednesday night before hosting Penncroft in the league on Saturday.

Wem Town went down 3-2 at Worcester Raiders, while Division Two leaders Newport Town lost for the second week in a row – courtesy of a 4-2 reserve away to Warstones.