Shifnal sent down by last-day defeat

Needing a point to potentially leapfrog county rivals Wem and get out of the drop zone, they slipped to a 4-3 defeat, meaning north Shropshire side Wem survived despite them losing 4-2 at home to Hereford Lads Club.

A weakened Shifnal side put in a fine battling performance, but it was to no

avail.

Poor defending led to the hosts’ opener after five minutes, Saul Thomas beating Tom Whittaker from the edge of the penalty area.

Shifnal equalised in bizarre fashion in the 11th minute – Jamie Russell launched the ball forward from five yards inside his own half, and the hapless Wellington keeper Matt Apperley could only watch as a gust of wind took the ball over him and just under the crossbar.

Town took the lead after 33 minutes – Ryan Bright found Hadley on the right, and from his low cross, Joe Moore slotted home at the near post. The lead was short-lived, as the visitors were undone from a 36th-minute corner, Aaron Morgan finishing with a downward header as the teams went into the break at 2-2.

Downfall

Two goals in two minutes around the hour mark were the visitors’ downfall.

A corner in the 58th minute fell to Nick Britton, whose first-time shot at the near post beat Whittaker. Then a defensive mix-up saw the ball inexplicably played by a defender across the penalty area for the unmarked Britton to make it 4-2.

The visitors were left to think what might have been, as Bright pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in the 75th minute after Bailey had been brought down.

Try as they might, Shifnal were unable to conjure up another equaliser. They have derby dates with Wellington Amateurs and Newport to look forward to in Division One next sesaon.

Wem’s 4-2 defeat didn’t matter in the end as they stay up by a point, while Shawbury United signed off the season with a 1-0 defeat at high-flying Wednesfield.