Market Drayton Town undone by late Trafford goal

Hopes of a good result ahead of Friday’s all-Shropshire cup final derby with neighbours Whitchurch Alport were raised when Town twice surprised their highly-rated opponents.

On-loan Stoke City striker James Jennings scored the game’s opener, from the penalty spot, in the 12th minute and Jordan Davies got their second, an equaliser midway through the second half after Darius Palma and Jack Dorney (penalty) had given Trafford a 2-1 lead at the interval.

Trafford, who pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the NPL season by beating premier section champs Farsley Celtic in the Integro League Cup final and had lost only one of their previous 10 games were rocked by Town’s reply.

Refusing to roll over in what was, for the most part a game they spent being restricted to their own half, Town silenced the Flixton fans of Pennybridge Road by snapping swiftly from defence into attack, drawing level in the 52th minute with a smart strike by Davies.

Their dangerous breakaways rang alarm bells for home keeper Matt Cooper on several occasions before Palma struck again for his second and the game’s deciding goal in the 83rd minute.

Town manager Martyn Davies praised his squad – again down to a bare bones XI and one named substitute, in this case, the still not fully fit Paul McMullen.

“Against one of the division’s form teams who have also won the league’s knockout, that has got to be a very good performance,” he said.

Davies scoffs at suggestions Town are hot favourites for the Shropshire Football Association’s Huddersfield Cup final with Whitchurch Alport at New Bucks Head on Friday evening, kick-off 7.45pm.

“We might be in a higher league but Whitchurch are a strong club able to field a very good side.

“A county final is a great incentive and talk of us being favourites does us no favours and them no justice.”