Promotion race slip as Shifnal Town suffer defeat

Shifnal lost ground near the top of the Midland Premier with the unexpected defeat to their Staffordshire visitors, who are down in 13th.

Captain Sam Wilson scored twice in the final 14 minutes to condemn play-off hunting Shifnal to a potentially damaging defeat and boss Haynes pulled no punches about an uninspired second period.

"We didn't play great at all in that first half but we were the better side, realistically with the chances we had we should've come in (at half-time) 2-0 up," said Haynes.

"Then the whole outlook on the game is completely different, but it was 0-0.

"And the second half performance is miles off it, I can't make excuses for the lads. It's clearly not good enough.

"All credit to Stone, they dug in, played to the conditions, stuck the ball in behind, went back to front, had long throws, set-pieces, and that's what they play for.

"We didn't stand up to that, our quality was very poor and it's a disappointing defeat. We have to dig in, it's only us that can put it right, this where I find out about my players."

It might have been a different outcome had Town's Luke Walsh been able to convert midway through the first half, but he instead found the woodwork.

Shifnal slip a place below Darlaston Town to fourth after a third defeat in five in all competitions.

There was last-gasp joy courtesy of a former Shrewsbury Town favourite as Junior Brown struck in the 95th-minute to win at Tividale.

Former Salop left-back Brown, 33, popped up on the edge of the Tividale box to drive a sweet low left-footed strike into the far corner to secure three points and lift the Yockings Park side to 10th.

Brown made more than 100 appearances for Town between 2015 and 2018.

It was the least the visitors deserved and had been mostly one-way traffic throughout until the late intervention from Brown, who joined Alport last year.

Alport were also reliant on goalkeeper Jack Sheward two minutes from time as, tasked with little in the contest, he made a vital save at 0-0.

Market Drayton Town's miserable form continued with a 3-1 home defeat to seventh-placed Romulus which left the hosts rooted to the foot of the table.

Adam Shilcock's side have improved with their performance levels in recent weeks and did get in level at 1-1 at Greenfields after Callum Parker's goal on 10 minutes cancelled out Luke Keen's early goal.

The home side were unlocked just minutes into the second half as they conceded from a corner to Roms' Cameron Lee.

And as Drayton pushed for another equaliser the visitors' Owen Watkins punished on the counter to condemn the Gingerbread Men to a 25th straight league defeat.

In Division One action it was a sensational six of the best for Shawbury United as they thrashed the nine-man visitors of high-flying Bilston Town.

Shawbury put paid to their visitors' ill-discipline at the Ludlow Stadium on a feisty afternoon in which Bilston saw two players dismissed before half-time.

The home side were 2-0 up by that stage and made it three at the interval before a clinical second half doubled that scoreline. Plucky visitors Bilston did not stop running and notched a deserved consolation for their efforts.

Marco Adaggio fired a treble with Danar Saber's double, alongside substitute Cian Fenlon's effort.

Shawbury climbed to 11th with their victory, which made it 12 points from a possible 18 in 2023.

AFC Bridgnorth and Haughmond are now second-bottom and rock-bottom, respectively, following 2-1 and 2-0 defeats respectively.

Bridgnorth slipped to 20th despite their best efforts at seventh-placed Stapenhill. Danny Turton halved the deficit on his debut for the Meadow Men but it wasn't enough.

They are six points from safety but still five points better off than Haughmond, who lost 2-0 at Ingles after two first-half goals.

Bridgnorth host Haughmond in a Midland League Cup county derby at Crown Meadow this evening.

In the North West Counties First Division South, Ellesmere Rangers are sixth and four points outside of the play-off places after a 2-1 home defeat to Barnton, in eighth.

Will Evans equalised for the Swans, but Dylon Meredith struck a winner 20 minutes from time.