Tyrone Ofori off to a flyer on a Shifnal debut to remember

Former Shrewsbury Town academy youngster Ofori, a forward, joined Shifnal late last week and it took him just five minutes to convert against high-profile visitors Worcester City.

The hosts, managed by former AFC Telford coach Jamie Haynes, had a dream start at the Acoustafoam Stadium as Brandon Tanomjit doubled their advantage inside the first seven minutes.

And those two early strikes would prove enough for Shifnal to respond from back-to-back defeats on the road at Tividale and Worcester – in the reverse clash 10 days earlier.

Ofori’s clever near-post flick after former AFC Telford striker Matthew Barnes-Homer had nodded a Tanomjit cross back across goal opened the scoring after five minutes.

And it was the ex-Salop youngster who turned provider for the second shortly afterwards, as his cross was swept in by Tanomjit from 12 yards.

Worcester recovered from a nightmare start but were wasteful with a couple of presentable openings in front of Shifnal’s debut goalkeeper Sheridan Martinez, formerly of AFC Telford.

The closest City came to troubling a debut clean sheet was Reiss Taylor-Randle’s strike that cracked the woodwork 10 minutes after the break as Shifnal held on comfortably.

Haughmond, who sit third-bottom of the Midland Premier, slipped to a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to mid-table Stone Old Alleynians at Shrewsbury Sports Village.

Mond were unable to follow up their important home victory against fellow strugglers Uttoxeter last time out.

Elsewhere, there were away defeats for West Midlands Division One strugglers Shawbury United and AFC Bridgnorth.

Bridgnorth remain third-bottom and failed in a bid to put distance between themselves and rivals below after a 2-1 defeat to strugglers Khalsa Football Federation.

Will Reid struck in the first half for the visitors but Bridgnorth were undone after the break by a penalty and a scramble as Khalsa secured the points.

There was away disappointment for Shawbury, too, who suffered a 1-0 defeat at Cradley Town, courtesy of a Casey Collins winner.

Shawbury sit one place above Bridgnorth, with the sides level on 20 points but Ludlow-based Shawbury boast a considerably better goal difference.

It was a weekend to forget for North West Counties First Division South side Ellesmere Rangers, who were on the receiving end of a painful 8-1 home defeat to play-off chasing Cheadle Town.

Carl Rogers managed a late consolation for the Swans, but the heavy defeat sees 12th-placed Ellesmere lose ground to mid-table rivals in the battle to push into the top half.

St Martins remain rooted to the bottom of the pile in the same division after the winless Saints endured a 27th defeat in 29 league outings this season with a 4-0 reverse at fellow strugglers Rocester, who sit one place above them.

The hosts were inspired by Jayden Hunter’s hat-trick and defeat means St Martins are 19 points off their nearest rivals at the foot of the table.