Late double helps to seal the derby deal for Shifnal Town

Town extended their perfect league start to nine games thanks to a 3-0 success at the home of their Shropshire rivals.

Jake Lloyd had given Shifnal a first-half lead and grabbed a second in time added on while Tom Hill netted two minutes from full time.

Shifnal started the game on the front foot, and came within inches of opening the scoring in the 11th minute. Rees Wedderburn was floored just outside the penalty area, but then dusted himself down to take the resultant free-kick and saw his effort come back off the underside of the crossbar.

Jordan Uppal and Lloyd saw goalbound shots blocked as the league leaders continued to push for a breakthrough.

The visitors’ pressure finally told on the half-hour mark. A fierce shot from Wedderburn was parried by Wem keeper Jake Brown, but Lloyd followed up to tap home the loose ball.

The goal spurred the hosts into action and William Lygo saw his 20-yard shot was saved by Jake James.

Hill had an effort ruled out early in the second half before being denied by a fine save from Brown.

But Hill was not to be denied and put the game beyond Wem on 88 minutes.

The second half started in much the same way as the first, with the visitors pushing on to extend their lead, but they were almost caught out in the 57th minute following some uncharacteristic slack defending. Substitute Dylan Hillier seized upon a mix-up, but his shot took a deflection off a defender for a corner. 2 minutes later, Tom Hill had the ball in the net at the other end, but the referee had spotted an infringement and disallowed the goal. An excellent save by Brown on 62 minutes denied Shifnal a second when Sam McCarthy played the ball in to Hill, who turned and fired for the top corner, but Brown managed to turn it round the post. Jordan Uppal was the creator, finding space on the right before delivering a cross that a diving Hill headed home.

Wem’s Chris Jeavons was shown a red card in stoppage time with Lloyd then wrapped up the scoring by firing home a 25-yard free-kick.

In Division One, Wellington Amateurs and Allscott Heath warmed up for this weekend’s derby showdown with victories.

Ams are sitting top of the standings after battling their way to victory at home to lowly Bustleholme.

A strike from Matty Elsmore and an own goal sealed the deal for the hosts.

Allscott fired out a warning to their title rivals with an eye-catching 7-1 success against fellow high-fliers Willenhall Town.

Armando Wood was the star of the show as Allscott turned on the style.

Wood proved far to hot too handle as he hit the net five times. Stuart Ellis added the other two goals to helps his side climb into second place, three points behind Ams.