Martyn Davies upbeat as Market Drayton Town push table-toppers Shaw Lane

On paper, the result adds to Davies' concerns, especially as most of the other Evo-Stik Northern Premier League South teams around fourth-from-bottom Town picked up points.

But far from being downcast, he was positively bubbling with enthusiasm and praise for the way his youngsters took on the season-long table-toppers he's always ranked the best in the division.

"I was really pleased with our performance," he said.

Town are one of the few clubs to hold soaraway Shaw this season, having drawn 1-1 with them at Greenfields last August.

But Davies rates his side's performance in defeat of greater merit than that draw. "If there's such a thing as being happy in defeat then that was the closest I've ever been," he said.

"We outplayed them in the first half and with a little more experience in front of goal could have been at least a couple of goals up at the interval.

"Against a side unbeaten at home in the league this season, that took some doing. Their experience and undeniable quality kicked in after the break when they were clearly the better side and pulled away from us.

"Even so, I think 3-1 wasn't a true reflection of play."

The best chances Town's pace and one-touch play created early on fell to flying winger Shaquille Whittingham.

Twice he was played through one-on-one against Jon Stewart. But the keeper blocked Whittingham's first opening with a good save and had luck on his side as the second, easier, opportunity was missed, the Town lad clipping the ball wide with Stewart beaten.

Several more, albeit less clear-cut chances also slipped by and, to add to Town's discomfort a soft headed goal by Spencer Harris from a 37th-minute corner gave Shaw an interval lead.

Town started the second half impressively but when what would have been a fine equaliser from Glynn Coney was thwarted with the ball being kicked off the line, Shaw got the message that Drayton really could be a threat to their impressive home record.

Jack Tuohy got them on track with a cracking second goal and Alex Byrne made it three with eight minutes

remaining before Simon Gregory finally found the net for Drayton in the 87th minute.

It was a richly deserved goal – had it come in the first half, Davies might have ended the day an even happier man.