Non-league round-up: Shifnal suffer play-off setback following home defeat
Shifnal Town slipped five points adrift of the Northern One West play-off places after falling to a 2-1 home defeat against Bootle.
Bootle started the afternoon behind Shifnal on goal difference but delivered the breakthrough on 26 minutes when Matty Fenton headed in Xavier Smith's corner delivery.
Veteran striker Matthew Barnes-Homer got Shifnal back on level terms five minutes after the restart.
The hosts worked the ball down the left as full-back Kane Lewis squared for Barnes-Homer finish from close-range and move on to double figures in the league.
Fenton restored Bootle's lead in the 75th-minute when a corner dropped invitingly for him to smash an emphatic finish into the top corner to bag his his brace.
Shifnal are winless in three games - suffering two defeats in the process - but still boast two games in hand over fifth-place Stalybridge Celtic who occupy the final play-off spot.
Whitchurch Alport suffered their first defeat in six games in the Midland Premier Division after they were beaten 3-1 at home by Brocton.
The Shropshire outfit had not played since winning 1-0 at Winsford United on Boxing Day and were up against a Brocton side who had won seven of their last eight.
They took the lead after just seven minutes when Alex Hughes teed up Ollie Holden to place a low finish beyond the reach of George Scott.
Morgan Payne equalised for Brocton on the cusp of half-time when he pounced on a rebounded shot from Jake Thomas.
Brocton took the lead 12 minutes after the restart as Christian Blanchette was on hand to force the ball over the line following a goalmouth scramble.
Reg Smith put the seal on the win for Brocton when he converted from the spot after Charlie Kin was bundled over inside the box by George Carpenter.
AFC Bridgnorth were condemned to their first defeat of 2026 after they lost 2-1 at Cradley Town in the Midland Division One.
Kosh Sappleton scored the only goal for Bridgnorth, who were ultimately undone by goals from Fletcher Marsh and Cole Wells in either half.
Second-place Telford Town were handed a stunning 6-0 drubbing at the hands of fellow play-off contenders Sandbach United in the North West Counties Division One South.
Joseph Bevan scored four goals for Sandbach, as goals from Robbie Hatton and Jake Pollard completed the rout.
Second from bottom Haughmond moved to within five points of safety with a 3-2 victory at Cammell Laird 1907.
Kian Garbett and Joseph Drakeley fired Haughmond into a 2-0 lead inside 22 minutes, but Liam Owen quickly halved the deficit.
Harvey Lewis restored their two-goal lead on the cusp of half-time before Adam Smith pulled a goal back five minutes into the second half.
Shawbury United climbed out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Sporting thanks to Eric Mensah's brace and a solitary strike by Kyle Cassell.
Elsewhere, Allscott Heath's home fixture against Stockport Georgians fell victim to the weather due to heavy rainfall.
Ludlow Town were beaten 3-2 by Stonehouse Town in the Hellenic League Division One as they slumped to back-to-back defeats.
Joshua Beadle scored twice for Stonehouse and substitute Daniel Gayner also got on the score sheet to leave Ludlow sitting in 10th.
