Step 5/6 round-up: Wondergoal closes gap at the top
Shifnal Town closed the gap on Midland League Premier Division leaders Lichfield City with the help of a Kyle Bennett wondergoal.
The Shropshire side welcomed the table toppers and endured a tight contest as neither side could break the deadlock in the first half.
But that deadlock was broken in style in the 54th minute.
Following a Shifnal corner that was poorly cleared by Lichfield, Bennett picked the ball up from roughly 30 yards and whipped it into the top corner to spark jubilant celebrations.
The quality of that strike lit a fire under the hosts, who pressed for more and found it when they were awarded a penalty, which Isaac Phillips converted in the 86th minute.
Shifnal and Phillips added a late third in the 94th minute to round off an excellent win over the league leaders.
They sit third in the table and three points behind Brocton, who won 5-0 at the weekend, and four points off Lichfield.
Shifnal, however, have a game in hand over their two rivals, while fourth-placed 1874 Northwich are three points off Shifnal with a game in hand over them.
Elsewhere in the league, Whitchurch Alport remain in the promotion picture as they sit in fifth, but lost ground on the teams above them with a 1-1 draw at home to Romulus.
Craig Pritchard curled home a wonderful solo goal on the stroke of half-time to equalise and earn Whitchurch a point.
In the Midland League Division One, AFC Bridgnorth played out a goalless draw at Allexton & New Parks.
Both sides sit just above the drop zone.
In the North West Counties League Division One South, Shawbury United were denied a win in their basement battle clash with Foley Meir.
Samuel Flory gave Shawbury the lead before half-time, but Foley's Finlay Pattison struck just after the break as the teams shared the points.
The Shropshire side remain bottom of the table with 15 points from 19 games and although they have games in hand, they are four points from safety.
Foley occupy the final relegation spot, three points above Shawbury.
Elsewhere in the league, Market Drayton Town were thumped 5-0 at Cammell Laird 1907.
The hosts took a 3-0 lead at half-time in the mid-table clash before adding two more, including a penalty, to secure a convincing win.
Allscott Heath did win, however, beating Stockport Georgians 3-2.
The hosts took a commanding lead thanks to a Jordan Davies hat-trick, scoring in the 13th, 27th and 58th minutes.
But Stockport fought back with goals in the 62nd minute and 90th minute to make it a nervy ending for Allscott, but they held on for the three points.
In the Hellenic League Division One, Ludlow Town played out a 1-1 draw at Kidlington Res.
The stalemate leaves Ludlow seventh in the league and five points from the play-offs.
