Salop Leisure League round-up: Alex Ryder is the hero for Church Stretton Town
Alex Ryder was the Church Stretton Town hero with a stoppage-time brace in their dramatic triumph over Llanymynech in the Salop Leisure League Premier Division.
Stretton moved up to second in the early-season standings as Ryder's brace - the first in the third added minute and the second in the 10th - saw them pip the hosts to victory.
Matthew Cole was also on target for Stretton in the first half as they took advantage of FC Nations not being in action to move up the table on Saturday afternoon.
That helped them close the gap on leaders Dawley Town to two points after Dawley's Friday night triumph at Telford Town Reserves.
Daniel Beddows, Brodie Mcleod, Ramadhani Ramadhani, Charlie Knowles (two), Robert Millington and Cain Patterson were all on target to send Dawley clear at the top with four wins from four thanks to a 7-0 victory.
Ellesmere Rangers were also 7-0 winners among a hat-trick of Friday night games in the Premier Division as they cruised to victory at rock-bottom Wem Town.
Karl Bailey (two), Tsvetomir Bedzhev, Jordan Gerrard, Callum Graybrook, Tom Shakeshaft and Brendon Price were on target.
The other Friday night match saw Shrewsbury Up & Comers edge out Prees United 2-0 courtesy of second-half strikes from William Rogers and Jordan Davies, while the clash between Shifnal Town 1964 and Albrighton was postponed.
Fourth-placed Wrockwardine Wood Juniors got the Saturday afternoon action under way early with a 2-0 victory over NC United - with Matthew Stuart and Jake Challoner on target - while Whitchurch Alport 1946 won 5-2 at Shrewsbury Juniors thanks to Joel Browne, Harry Cunningham, Adam Heath (two) and Owen Jackson.
Gobowen Celtic are fifth after a 3-1 victory over Bridgnorth Spartans, with Luke Dwyer, Jack Hughes and Louis Pritchard the goalscorers.
Mereside Rangers kicked off the Division One action on Friday evening with a 3-2 win at Shrewsbury Up & Comers Development to take them to a maximum haul of 12 points from their four games so far.
Charlie Warren bagged a stoppage-time winner - his second goal of the game - after Warren McFadden's earlier strike. Jack Evason and Kasper Przybylski netted for Shrewsbury in a topsy-turvy encounter.
However, Mereside trail leaders Ercall Rangers on goal difference after their own dramatic triumph - a 4-3 success over Ercall Evolution.
Meanwhile, Harrison Gregory bagged a four-goal haul in Ercal 1975's 10-3 thrashing of Ercall Colts, with Rhys Carr, Todd Gregory, Jake May, Adam Mellor, Keegan Croker and Alistair Heighway also on target.
Elsewhere, Lewis Alderson bagged a late equaliser for AFC Weston Rhyn against Haughmond Development. Ben Carter also bagged a brace for Rhyn, while Emmanuel Afriyie, Jack Jones and Joseph Roberts were on target for Haughmond.
Emmanuel Osei hit a hat-trick in Allscott Heath Reserves' 5-0 triumph over Wrockwardine Wood Development - with Jay Barnett and Ryan Guryn also scoring - while Brown Clee won 4-1 at Ercall Aces, FC Nations Development overcame Shawbury United Development 6-3 and SAHA FC saw off Telford Town Development 3-0.
Nathaniel Turner bagged a brace and Alex Grange got the other for SAHA.
