AFC Bridgnorth ready to battle for a play-off place - non-league previews

The Meadow Men head to Leicestershire to tackle an Ingles side sitting 16th in the Division One table – eight places below their weekend visitors.

But with the sides having drawn 2-2 at Crown Meadow earlier in the season, Bridgnorth boss Jack Griffiths is adamant Ingles are currently in a false position in the standings.

"They are a strong team, we played them at our place earlier in the season and drew 2-2," said Griffiths. "They are big lads and they can mix it up a bit, and we expect it to be a battle.

"For me, they are in a false position. They always start the season slow and then come good.

"We know what they are going to do, they fight for everything, and if someone said to be now you could get a point, I'd take that. But we certainly go there looking to get all three.”

After a recent mixed run of form, Griffiths is hoping his side can find some consistency and string together a run of positive results to stay in the play-off picture.

Fifth-placed Birstall United sit in the last play-off place at the moment, two points ahead of Bridgnorth, with Griffiths fearful the top four of Sutton United, Gornal Athletic, Knowle and Heather St. John's could pull away.

“I said before went out on Saturday, some of the other teams are getting 10 points ahead of us,” added Griffiths. “The top four look set and it looks like there are seven or eight teams looking at that last play-off place at the moment.

“We need to go on a run like we did at the end of last season and the start of this season where we went 11 and seven games unbeaten."

Whitchurch Alport – who have lost their last three in the league – will look to bridge some of the gap to play-off-chasing 1874 Northwich when they host them in the Midland Premier tomorrow (3pm).

And Shifnal Town will be chasing their third consecutive win in a row when they host Mossley in Northern One West.

Market Drayton Town roared back out of the North West Counties relegation places with a crunch Shropshire derby home success on Tuesday night.

Visitors Haughmond were put to the sword as the Gingerbread Men hit five past the Shrewsbury outfit in an entertaining 5-2 victory.

It was enough for Dan Dawson's Town to climb back above Mond, having briefly slipped below their country rivals and down to second-bottom of North West Counties League First Division South following defeat to Telford Town on Saturday.

Goals from Sam Preece and Dan Holdcroft had the Greenfields hosts on their way on Tuesday night. And despite the visitors pulling one back before the interval, Isaac Shaw hit back for a 3-1 lead at the break.

Preece pounced for his second immediately after the restart only for Haughmond to bag a second from the penalty spot soon after.

Holdcroft netted his second from close range with 20 minutes left to put the seal on the win and move one point above Wolverhampton Casuals and out of the drop zone.

Dawson's troops head to second-placed Stockport Georgians tomorrow, while Haughmond host Foley Meir.

Last weekend saw high-flying hosts Telford Town edge a controversial 1-0 win courtesy of a penalty 10 minutes from time, converted by Alex Hughes.

Dawson was unhappy with the decision as the ball struck Nick Woods' arm from close quarters via a team-mate's header.

"It was a complete 180 in terms of work ethic and effort from the lads," said a satisfied Dawson. "We dealt with Telford superbly for 94 minutes but it came down to something out of our hands in my opinion. It was an absolutely wild decision in my opinion, but I can't fault the lads."

Third-placed Telford travel to fourth-placed Barnton tomorrow in a crunch clash towards the top of the table.

Elsewhere, Shawbury United travel to New Mills tomorrow hoping to bounce back from a 6-2 defeat at home to Stafford Town in midweek. Oliver Wysopal and Ablay Sowe scored Shawbury’s goals as they slumped to a third consecutive defeat in the league.

Upwardly-mobile Allscott Heath thrashed Wolverhampton Sporting 5-0 in midweek thanks to a second-half hat-trick from Ryan Knott and first-half strikes by Steven Hole and Kian Newnes. They are without a game this weekend.

​Ludlow Town boss Sean Evans faces more selection problems this weekend when Hellenic League Division One high-flyers Cheltenham Saracens roll into town.

Evans has been hampered by availability issues and will be again for Saturday’s home clash with second-placed Saracens.

"It's a difficult period for us at the moment, we have a number of players missing each game,” said Evans. "I will be without six or seven again on Saturday, and that includes the back four.

"It's frustrating because we are still only five points off the play-offs.

"Everyone seems to be beating everyone and if I could get my best team out each week, we would be in the play-off mix.”

Ludlow will go into the clash on the back of making progress in the Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup.

They ended a run of four straight defeats in all competitions by beating Easington Sports Development 5-1 at home on Tuesday night.