Town’s half-hour of power closes the gap at the top

Town effectively had the match won inside the opening 20 minutes as they raced into a three-goal lead.

Kyle Montague, Keanu Cooper and Jay Holdcroft were all on the mark and though Romario Martin got two back for the hosts – the second with virtually the last kick of the game – Shifnal never looked like surrendering victory.

Carter said: “The first half-an-hour was the best we have played this season, for sure.

“We came flying out of the traps, played good football and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.

“After that it was all about controlling the game. We gifted them one goal back but after that we tightened up and I was always confident.”

Victory saw Shifnal close within a point of Midland League Premier leaders Boldmere St Michaels after the Birmingham club were held to a 1-1 draw at Whitchurch Alport.

Carter continued: “There was the chance to go top if Boldmere lost and maybe that helped motivate the lads. We could see during the warm-up they were fired up so it was no surprise they hit the ground running.”

Whitchurch’s Sean Griffiths bagged a rare goal to cancel out Harry Craven’s opener for Boldmere and earn the hosts a point which keeps them 13th in the table.

Boss Luke Goddard said: “It was a good, competitive game and there wasn’t much in it. They are unbeaten and on that performance you would not say there is much between the teams. Realistically, we knew we were the underdogs and we enjoyed having no pressure on us. We showed more of what we want to be. If there was a disappointment, it was we did not work the goalkeeper hard enough.”

A goal from Steve Nicholson had Haughmond on course for their first win of the season at Romulus before they were pegged back by Callum Reid’s equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

In Division One, AFC Bridgnorth experienced a return to league action to forget as they were beaten 4-1 by Wolves Sporting.

Defeat left Bridgnorth sitting 17th in the table, one place above Shawbury United, who suffered their 10th defeat in 12 league matches at Bilston Town.

George Durrell and Cian Fenlon were on the mark for Shawbury but Adam Garmson’s double and a Kie Houlihan strike were enough to earn Bilston the win.

Ellesmere Rangers suffered a fourth straight defeat in all competitions as they were beaten 3-2 at home by Isle of Man FC.

Dave Howarth and Callum Leigh, in stoppage time, found the net for Rangers but it was not enough to take anything from the game.

Defeat left them sitting seventh in Division One South of the North West Counties League. St Martins remain rock bottom after going down 4-0 at Rocester, their eighth straight defeat.