Ruthless Richards sends Stretton top of the league

Having netted six times last week, Richards followed up with a hat-trick this week as Stretton won 5-1 at Newport Town to move to the summit.

Josh Hunting and Tom Carter were also on target for Church Stretton, who are not in action this weekend.

Hodnet will therefore hope to return to the top when they host Ludlow on Saturday. Their match with Wrockwardine Wood was postponed at the weekend.

Shrewsbury Juniors moved into third with a 4-1 county town derby triumph over Shrewsbury Up and Comers, for whom Ablay Sowe scored.

With one point separating the top five, Morda United are well placed in fourth after a 5-2 triumph over AMS, who remain second bottom of the league and pointless.

In fact, the Premier Division is so tight that two points separate the top eight of the 14-team league.

Prees United are one of those sides within two points of the summit after they inflicted more pain on rock-bottom Wem Town.

Liam Moore and Jamie Parry had Prees in control at the interval, with Luke Mason and Macauley Clifton putting the game firmly out of their sight in the second half.

Wem – who were thrashed 12-0 by Church Stretton the week before – prop up the division with no points from five matches, conceding 32 goals along the way.

Ludlow shared the spoils with Dawley Town in a mid-table clash. Samuel Ray Rigby bagged Dawley’s goal.

Luke Dwyer’s hat-trick helped Gobowen Celtic move above Shawbury United Under-23s on goal difference with victory over the youngsters.

AFC Bridgnorth Development remain top of Division One with five wins from five matches after a 5-0 victory over second-bottom Sinclair United Pumas.

Charlie Fellows, Jack Foggin, Sam Goucher, Brandon Ward and Douglas Roberts scored for Bridgnorth.

Alexander Ryder hit five all by himself in second-placed Saha Rovers’ 7-2 victory against Ercall Colts Juniors. A 20-minute hat-trick in the first half was followed by two more after the interval.

Harvey Plimmer and Tom Sayce were also on target for Saha to keep them ahead of Broseley, who had their own 7-2 triumph.

Third-placed Broseley scored their seven on the road at Dawley Town 1970, with hat-trick hero Harry Nesbitt, Macauley Pugh, Matthew Bethell and Luke Gain among the scorers for the visitors.

Joshua Davies scored the only goal of the game as St Martins Reserves edged out Albrighton for their second win of the season.

Ercall Colts Juniors Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the table after suffering a 6-0 loss at home to Brown Clee.