Whitchurch Alport end league season by taking derby-day spoils

Alex Hughes got the winner 14 minutes from time to take Alport into ninth – one place and six points behind Shifnal, who suffered their third defeat on the bounce.

Alport started brightly and a cross from Hughes in the first minute evaded Adam Whitehouse, but a defender put the ball out for a corner.

Their opening goal was route one. Keeper Jack Sheward’s long ball was misjudged by Asa Charlton, allowing Joe Flory to clip the ball over Whitehouse from 15 yards.

Tom Hill had a couple of chances to level matters around the half-hour, but one he put over from the edge of the penalty area and the other brought a diving save from Sheward.

The second period was end-to-end, with Town equalising on 72 minutes when Kane Lewis’s corner was headed home at the far post by Hill.

It took Whitchurch just four minutes to regain their lead when a dreadful pass out from Town keeper Whitehouse gave Lewis no chance to gain possession and Hughes spotted the opportunity to loft the ball into an empty net from 40 yards.

Market Drayton Town brought the curtain down on a miserable campaign with a rare away point at fellow relegated side Wolverhampton Casuals.

Despite finishing bottom with 12 points, manager Adam Shillcock feels improvements made during the season – with three-quarters of that tally coming in the past two months.

They now have the TJ Vickers Shropshire Premier Cup final to look forward to on May 9 – against Alport at AFC Telford United's New Bucks Head ground.

Shillcock said: "I think it’s commonly agreed that we have improved as a group and there is a sense of togetherness both on and off the pitch which bodes well come our final game of the season at the ground of AFC Telford United on May 9 in the T J Vickers Premier Cup final versus Whitchurch Alport.

"We are carrying some serious injuries and are down to the bare bones now, but we will do everything we can to prepare properly for the occasion and bring home the club’s first piece of silverware in seven years."

Ryan Bradshaw scored and was sent off as AFC Bridgnorth overcame Shropshire rivals Haughmond in the battle of the bottom two in Midland One.

Matthew Dean was also on target for Bridgnorth, who finish their campaign at Ashby Ivanhoe on Saturday.

Haughmond ended their league campaign with that game, as did Shawbury United, who secured a top-10 finish with a 4-3 triumph at Paget Rangers.

Cian Fenlon scored a breakaway winner in the last minute with Paget's goalkeeper up chasing a winner for the hosts.

Joe Thomas, Jason Harris and Ryan Pryce – the latter an 83rd-minute equaliser to make it 3-3 – were also on target.