Saints alive! Leaders are made to dig deep for win

The table-toppers headed home with three more points from a thrilling clash away to 13th-placed St Martins.

A lively encounter ended 5-4 in the visitors’ favour and saw them maintain their three-point advantage over second-placed Dawley Town.

On target for Ludlow were Ryan Leiws (two), Aaron Dovey, Jack Marston and Harry Hurst. Josh Leach scored twice for Saints, with Joshua Davies and Samuel Berquez, who also picked up a red card, bagging the other goals.

Dawley kept in touch with the Premier Division leaders thanks to a hard fought 1-0 win at Wrockwardine Wood.

Ross Jones was on target to secure the points for the visitors.

In the only other top flight game, goals from Ed Rogers and Jonathon Mitchell earned Gobowen Celtic a 2-2 draw at home to Shifnal Town.

There was more action in Division One where the top two also won.

Table-toppers Ercall Revolution ran out 3-1 winners at home to Impact FC United.

Ercall led 2-1 at the break after strikes from Nathan Hawley and Ramadhani Ramadhanim, with Jack Inglis replying.

Hawley secured the win when he netted his second of the day just after the hour mark.

But it’s unbeaten second-placed Bridgnorth Spartans who are still in the driving seat in the race for the title.

Sam Preece and substitute Brett James bagged the goals as they beat Ercall Rangers 2-0 – a win that leaves them two points behind Ercall but with eight games in hand.

SAHA FC produced a five-star show to see off visiting Ercall Evolution Aces.

Jaden Bevan and Cameron Murphy both struck twice and Charlie Fletcher once as they eased to a 5-0 success.

Shrewsbury Up & Comers Development also found their shooting boots at home to Morda United Development.

Two strikes from Andrei Radulescu, one each from Jacob Owen-Jones, Ashton Passant and Robbie Beamond plus an own goal saw them triumph 6-2.

Meole Brace bagged three goals without reply on the road at AFC Weston Rhyn.

The midweek action saw Premier Division big-hitters Ludlow and Dawley Town continue their bid for glory in the Tony Bywater Cup.

They both progressed to the semi-finals, although Ludlow’s task was far more tricky than Dawley’s.

A keenly-contested clash at Church Stretton went to penalties after the tie had ended all square at 2-2.

Church Stretton led twice through Matthew Cole and Alexander Ryder, but Ludlow rallied to level thanks to goals from Morgan Millard and substitute Jack Marston – the second of which came two minutes from full-time.

And it was Ludlow who held their nerve to triumph 5-4 on penalties.

Substitute Samuel Rigby, George Lees and Ross Jones were on target for Dawley in their 3-1 success at home to Ellesmere Rangers. Max Jones replied for the visitors.

Shrewsbury Juniors Development are eyeing a shot at silverware after reaching the last four of the Division One League Cup.

Ollie Bett and Callum Routley scored the goals that saw the visitors end Brown Clee’s challenge.

Saturday’s fixtures - Premier: Church Stretton Town v AMS; Drayton Town AFC v Gobowen Celtic FC; Ludlow v Haughmond; Shifnal Town FC v Ercall Colts Juniors Evolution; Shrewsbury Up & Comers v Whitchurch Alport 1946; St Martins v Ellesmere Rangers; Wem Town v Morda United; Wrockwardine Wood Juniors v Newport Town.

Division One: Bridgnorth Spartans v Brown Clee; Impact FC United v Ercall Evolution Aces; Llanymynech v Ercall Rangers; Meole Brace v Shrewsbury Juniors Development; Morda United Development v AFC Weston Rhyn; Shrewsbury Up & Comers Development v SAHA FC.