RAF fire-fighter Jason Francis answered an emergency call from his old club with a blazing performance as Market Drayton Town took this crucial Evo-Stik League One South six pointer playing with 10 men for the last half hour after top scorer Martyn Davies had been sent off.

An ever-present in Drayton’s meteoric rise through the ranks of Shropshire football, the popular Francis left Greenfields late last season to pursue a career in the services.

On Friday he celebrated passing the first stage of his fireman’s training in Kent — the following day he was catapulted into the heart of Town’s defence, deputising for the sick Paul McMullen as Drayton doused Dynamo’s fire.

“It was great to see him back,” said manager Simon Line. “He wasn’t the only one to play well by any means but he’s always been a 110 percenter and that helped make a difference.

“He really wanted to be a sub but when Paul cried off sick I persuaded him to not only start but also play at centre half. It was just as well . . . they had a big striker who really put himself about but Frannie can fight fire with fire too. He played him so well they took him off.”

Line also had another surprise player on parade, 18 year-old full back Oliver Turton, signed from Crewe on a month’s loan the day before. “He did really well too,” said the Town boss.

But Line stressed Town’s turnaround from a shock 4-0 drubbing at Leek midweek was very much a team effort, especially after Davies’s departure. He said: “It was a great result. Shepshed may be second from bottom in the league but they’ve done well this year.”

Davies was sent off for making “gestures” in front of the home fans as he celebrated scoring Drayton’s first goal, an odd affair in itself.

It all started when Dynamo’s Billy Stubbs was booked, judged guilty of fouling Davies on the edge of the penalty area.

With home fans still complaining, Davies curled the free kick over the wall onto a post, from where the ball rebounded onto keeper Gavin Saxby and into the goal — a stroke of luck Davies marked rather too blatantly for the ref’s liking.

Whatever the rights and wrongs, it made for a lively last half hour, with Town earning plaudits for a battling performance .

The emphasis was on defence with goalkeeper Andy Pryce making a particularly impressive contribution with a double save.

But as Tom Rogers showed, with their second goal some 15 minutes from the end, and two late near misses from Mark Grice, Town still had plenty to offer in attack too.

Drayton might have more surprises in store at high-flying Kidsgrove in the league tomorrow with Line adding: “Francis won’t able to make it but I have some other irons in the fire.”

By TERRY MORRIS