Cup heroes Shifnal Town beaten by Midland League leaders
Shifnal Town were unable to take their FA Cup heroics into a league clash with Midland Premier leaders Lichfield City.
Connor Patterson's side, who were last week edged out by higher-ranked Hednesford Town in a Cup third qualifying round replay, found themselves 2-0 down early away at Lichfield thanks to Jack Edwards' double.
Brad Maslen-Jones pulled one back with a well-fine shot just inside the half hour and Shifnal attacker Joe Cuff netted a beauty to make it 2-2 on the stroke of half-time.
Maslen-Jones fed Cuff down the left and he spotted keeper James Beeson off his line and beat the home goalkeeper with a delicious lob.
But Lichfield flexed their table-topping muscles in the second period as Liam Kirton dispatched a fine back-post volley midway through the second period before Callum Rudd made the hosts home and hosed for 4-2 with a header inside the final 10 minutes.
Shifnal are 11th, but with as many as five games in hand on some rivals.
Whitchurch Alport slipped outside the Midland Premier play-off places with a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to mid-table Atherstone Town.
A goal in either half for the visitors condemned sixth-placed Alport to defeat in front of a gate of 206.
Second-bottom winless AFC Bridgnorth's Division One struggles continued with a 3-1 home defeat to table-toppers Heather St John's at Crown Meadow.
The Meadow men will take some comfort from pushing the league leaders but will be disappointed having led the way after an impressive first 45 minutes.
Bridgnorth trail the line above the drop zone by five points.
Shawbury United slipped into the North West Counties First Division South relegation places after a 1-0 home defeat to play-off chasing New Mills.
The visitors had Will Shawcross' penalty after 18 minutes make the difference after a shove from Oliver Wysopal. Shawbury pushed but were unable to find an equaliser.
Elsewhere in the division, Market Drayton Town nipped above county rivals Allscott Heath and into 11th by extending their fine home record with a 1-0 success over Barnton, who are one place above.
The Gingerbread Men left it late at Greenfields and Nicky Parker struck a winner 16 minutes from time in front of 161.
Allscott lost ground courtesy of a 2-0 defeat on the road at third-placed Winsford United, whose two goals came inside the first 25 minutes.
West Midlands Premier leaders Telford Town exited the Premier Division Cup after an entertaining 2-2 draw away at rivals Tipton Town, who prevailed by edging a marathon penalty shootout 7-6.
Ludlow Town are mid-table in Hellenic Division One after a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of second-placed Clanfield 85.
The Oxfordshire hosts had it easy against their south Shropshire visitors, for whom substitute Ryan Clarke bagged a consolation.
