Alport spot on to maintain Vase run

Alport – playing in the second round for the first time in their history – were far from their best in a first half against Malvern Town which ended goalless thanks to the heroics of Whitchurch goalkeeper Ellis Allen.

Malvern finally took the lead in the 69th minute through Harry Clark, but that finally shook Alport into life and they equalised from the penalty spot through Alex Hughes.

More spot-kicks were needed with the score still 1-1 when it reached 90 minutes – but Allen saved Malvern’s first penalty and Whitchurch were faultless as Ivan Urvantev, Jack Griffiths, Jimmy Garlick, Celson Segunda and Hughes all converted to send the majority of the 239 fans home happy.

Alport boss Luke Goddard, whose side will now visit Atherstone Town on December 11, said: “I don’t enjoy penalties – I looked away for every one of ours and the one in the game. It was a difficult afternoon. It was probably the most fuming I’ve been at half-time for a long time, having to watch that. It was an end-to-end game – we were never in control, but we’ve won and we showed a bit of character in the end.”

Reflecting on chances for Malvern in the first half, Goddard added: “Saying that, it could have been 2-2 early doors – both teams had chances – and then for the last 25 minutes of the first half they dominated.

“Ellis (Allen) pulled off two one-v-one saves – we had no sort of shape and looked deflated, so that’s why I went mad at half-time.

“It wasn’t our side from the last six or seven weeks, but maybe if they had scored first half maybe we would have turned up – look at the reaction when they scored, we turned the screw and looked a side. They looked dead on their feet and were just relying on the big lump and something to happen for them. We certainly got a reaction second half.”

Haughmond suffered a 5-1 reverse at high-flying Lye Town, with Josef Pratt getting on the scoresheet for Mond in the Midland League Premier Division. A couple of late goals from Ashanti Pryce – to complete his hat-trick – and Oliver West did put the gloss on the scoreline though.

Shifnal Town had a week off, with their opponents in FA Vase action – they return with a trip to Worcester City on Saturday.

Cian Fenlon and Seth Ellis scored for Shawbury United in a 2-0 win over bottom side Khalsa Football Federation – a result which took United above AFC Bridgnorth in Midland League Division One.

The Meadow Men went down to a 2-0 defeat at home to Chelmsley Town.

Ellesmere Rangers twice came from behind to record a 3-2 win over Eccleshall in North West Counties League Division One South.

Jack Dundas fired Eccleshall into the lead in the third and 44th minutes – only for Harvey Lewis to reply in the 18th and 60th minutes. And that set the stage for Niall Thomas to grab the winner with eight minutes remaining and leave Rangers ninth.

St Martins are still rock bottom of the division after suffering an 11-0 defeat at the hands of Stafford Town.

The Saints – who have just two points to their name this season – have now conceded 107 goals in 20 league matches.