Shifnal Town continue fine season with away win as AFC Bridgnorth and Telford Town chalk up wins
Shifnal Town made it five unbeaten in Northern Premier West to climb to the cusp of the play-off places.
Only goal difference keeps Connor Patterson's men outside the top five as Shifnal's impressive debut campaign at step four of the non-league pyramid continued.
Having drawn three league games on the spin, Shifnal built on the previous weekend's 1-0 win over rivals Stalybridge with a 2-1 victory on the road in front of almost 600 fans at Runcorn Linnets.
Midfielder Kevin Monteiro's early effort saw Shifnal lead for most of the afternoon in Cheshire, but the hosts hit back through a Sean Miller penalty with 20 minutes remaining.
But a moment of inspiration from defender Josh Green proved the difference as, just two minutes after Runcorn's leveller, Green dispatched a wonderful 25-yard free-kick into the top corner to make it back-to-back wins for the visitors.
Shifnal are one of five teams on 22 points and second-placed Bury are just one point better off.
Whitchurch Alport threw away a 2-0 half-time lead at Abbey Hulton United in Midland Premier as the hosts' Daniel Cocks netted a hat-trick capped by a last-minute winner.
Hulton's second and third goals came from the spot as Alport squandered their advantage and failed to close the gap to sides above them in the league with FA Vase action elsewhere. Six points separates Alport in ninth to the sides above them, and Jayson Starkey's side have played more games than rivals.
Theo Knight finished coolly on 15 minutes to open the scoring on Friday night before Billy West headed in from a corner late in the half but the visitors unravelled.
AFC Bridgnorth climbed to eighth in Midland One and within two points of the play-offs with a 2-1 home victory over Smethwick Rangers.
The Meadow Men secured a deserved home success courtesy of Joel Westwood's 10th-minute opener and Lee Wood's finish from a rebound within 10 minutes of the restart.
Visitors Smethwick pulled one back late on but never looked like an equaliser.
Alex Hughes' penalty 10 minutes from time handed high-flyers Telford Town a 1-0 home victory in a Shropshire derby against struggling Market Drayton Town.
Telford are up to third, three points off top in North West Counties First Division South, while Drayton slipped to second-bottom below Haughmond, who claimed just their second win of the season.
Drayton put in an improved display at School Grove and it looked enough for a point before Hughes made the difference from the spot late on.
A Kian Garbett double including a penalty, adding to Ethan Pickford's spot-kick, handed Haughmond a 3-2 comeback victory against basement side Wolves Sporting in the battle of the bottom two.
Mid-table Allscott Heath were beaten 2-0 at Cammell Laird.
Ludlow Town slipped to 12th and were leapfrogged by Stonehouse Town in Hellenic Division One after the visitors rallied from a goal down to run out 4-1 winners in south Shropshire.
- Whitchurch Alport have been drawn at home to Radford in the second round of the FA Vase. Alport enter at this stage of the competition, having reached last season's quarter-finals.
The tie will take place on the weekend of Saturday, November 8, with the winners pocketing £900.
