AprMR

It was plain sailing for Shawbury who cemented their place in the top three with a 2-0 home triumph
against Wednesfield.

First half strikes fro Steve Giles and Darren Leonard sealed the win and joint boss Alan Smith
admitted his side had enjoyed a stroll in the park.

" We didn't get out of second gear," Smith said. " We had chances to win the game by more goals
and absolutely bury them but we did enough to win and thats the main thing.

" It is going really well at the moment. We set out at the start of the season to finish in the top four
and there is a possibility of us doing that with seven games to go.

" Kington could overtake us if they win their games in hand but we have got the points on board and
we are happy with our position."

SHAWBURY United's joint manager Delwyn Humphreys has challenged his players to remain
unbeaten for the rest of the season to hold on to third spot in the West Midland League.

The North Shropshire club climbed into the Premier Division's top three, above Kington Town
who were well beaten 6-1 at Malvern, with a comfortable 2-0 success over Wednesfield last
weekend.

Humphreys is proud of the achievements of his players to be riding so high in a league where
many rival clubs, unlike Shawbury , pay their players, and he's quick to admit Shawbury's lofty
position has exceeded the pre-season expectations of himself and fellow boss Alan Smith.

" With this being our first season in charge, you never know what to expect," said
Humphreys. " We were looking to bring new players in, get them settled and we would of been
pleased with a top six place. That would have been a positive season.

" But the lads have worked tremendously hard and have got great spirit, so we're delighted to
be in third spot. We've now just got to try and stay there.

COASTED

" We've got six games left and i've told the lads i want to aim for four wins and two draws which should
be enough to give us third place."

Shawbury coasted to three more points last weekend, although Humphreys felt his side should have
emerged more convincing victors.

Both goals came in the first half with Steve Giles bundling in the opener before recent signing Darren
Leonard made it three goals in four games for the club since arriving from Ludlow Town.

But a hatful of other presentable chances went begging with Steve Giles, Gary Doster and Stuart
Mycock all going close.

" We should have won by six or seven with the chances we had, " added Humphreys.

" That's probably the difference between us being third in the table and being first or second as we
don't really kill teams off when we should."

Shawbury United are toasting their new signing Shaun Humphries after the young striker made
an immediate impact with the E & S Premier Division club.

Humphries made the cross-Shropshire move from Ludlow Town to Shawbury prior to last week's
transfer deadline, following Darren Leonard in leaving the Coors Stadium to join the Wem-based
club.

And he marked his arrival in the best possible way by scoring both goals in Saturday's 2-1 win
over Tividale to leave joint boss Delwyn Humphries praising his namesake.

"Shaun is a player we have tracked for some time and we thought we might have got him a
couple of times earlier in the season," he said.

"We finally convinced him to move last week and debuts don't get much better than that. "He
scored two goals and could have had a hat-trick and it is the stuff dreams are made of. "He is
only 19 and hopefully we can hang onto him and he would be a great long-term signing for us."

Humphires grabbed his goals in identical fashion on 10 and 24 minutes, beating the offside trap,
rounding the Tividale goalkeeper and slotting into the empty net.

Shawbury looked comfortable throughout in a fine team performance, but suffered a late scare
when the visitors pulled a goal back five minutes from time.

SHAUN Humphries wasted no time to outline his qualities to his new Shawbury United team mates by
scoring twice on his debut.

The former Ludlow Town striker proved the real difference between the teams as Shawbury saw off
Tividale 2-1 to consolidate their top three spot in the West Midland League Premier Division table.

The result sets the Butler Sports Ground club up nicely for Saturday's keenly awaited trip to second
placed Tipton Town.

Shawbury's joint manager Delwyn Humphries felt his side should have emerged more convincing
winners against Tividale, but was pleased with the three points secured by a classy first half brace from
the club's latest signing.

"Shaun Humphries took his two goals brilliantly ," confirmed Humphreys, a man who knows a thing
or two about putting the ball in the net himself from his days as a Kidderminster Harriers hero and
England non League international captain.

PERSUADE

" His touch was unbelievable throughout and he's going to be a good asset for us. Hopefully he'll enjoy
playing for us in the closing weeks of the season and we'll be able to persuade him to stay for next
season.

" We've been after Shaun for most of the season and he almost joined us twice before deciding to stay
at Ludlow , but we've got him eventually.

" He's got great ability and talent and he gives us that bit of star quality we need."

Humphries fired Shawbury ahead in just the tenth minute, neatly exchanging passes with strike
partner Steve Giles before rounding the keeper to score.

And he repeated the trick with a near identical finish shortly afterwards to give Shawbury a
comfortable 2-0 half-time lead.

Shawbury did not play so well in the second half but were always in control and it was a surprise when
Tividale halved the deficit with a late consolation goal.

The North Shropshire club are now looking forward to Saturday's trip to fellow high-fliers Tipton as
they put their excellent away record on the line.

" It's going to be good to see how far we've come in the last few months, " added Humphries.
" Tipton beat us 3-1 at our place before Christmas and could of had a few more goals, but i feel we've
got a stronger side now so it will be interesting to see how it goes this weekend."

Shell-shocked Shawbury will hold an inquest into their humiliating 9-1 trouncing by Tipton when they
reconvene for training tomorrow night.

The Wem-based club, who are third in the league, experienced a day to forget when they were
embarrassed by their title chasing opponents. Tipton led 5-0 at half-time and could even afford the
luxury of being reduced to 10 men 25 minutes from time before completing the mauling on Saturday.

Joint managers Delwyn Humphreys and Alan Smith are due to hold a meeting with their players
tomorrow night and some harsh words are likely to be on the agenda. Humphreys said: "The wheels
fell off big style and I can't put my fingers on the reason we performed like that. "I have never seen a
game of football like it. Everything we did went wrong and everything they hit flew into the net. "Mark
Pragg missed an early penalty and Shaun Humphries hit the post and that could have made it 2-2. "I
also felt that three of their goals shouldn't have been awarded but to be honest I am clutching at
straws saying that. "We were poor all over the pitch and we were fortunate it was only nine. "A few
of our players let themselves and the club down and we will have an inquest at training tomorrow,
speak to the lads and find out why that was the case. It shows us how far we need to come next
season but we haven't become a bad team overnight."

Shawbury were hit by an early Tipton storm with the first five goals coming in the opening 25 minutes,
and two further second half goals were added before Tipton were reduced to 10 men.

But not even the numerical disadvantage could prevent Tipton continuing to dominate and they found
the net twice more, with Darren Leonard grabbing the only consolation. Shawbury are without a
fixture this weekend. "We are going for a golf day at Hill Valley and hopefully that will help team
bonding, erase the memory of last Saturday and then we can finish the season strongly," Humphreys
said.

DELWYN Humphries admits the post mortem into Shawbury United's record
breaking 9-1 defeat at Tipton Town last weekend will continue when the players
report to training tonight.

The North Shropshire club's proud away record which had seen them lose only
once on their travels all season, was well and truly blown away as they were
handed a real footballing lesson by West Midland League Premier Division title
favourites Tipton.

Shawbury still remain third in the table and on course to achieve the club's
highest position in this league, but joint boss Humphries said last weekend's
miserable experience should act as a learning experience for his shell shocked
side.

" Myself and Alan Smith will take as much of the blame as the players should,"
said Humphries.

" When we get beat , we certainly seem to get beat well , but perhaps it's
brought one or two of our lads down a peg or two as we had been on a good run
up until last weekend.

" It's only the second away defeat we've had this season and in fairness Tipton
are a very good side.

EMBARRASSING

" With the quality of the players they've got they are really too strong for this division and it
wouldn't surprise me if they go and win the next league up aswell next season.

" They were just too good for us and it was an embarrassing scoreline for myself and the players."

Humphries added it was a display that just had to be put down to experience, given the impressive
strides Shawbury have made in the right direction this season.

" The lads have done really well over the season and have a good chance of being part of
Shawbury's best ever season ," he added.

" But now they will also have to put up with being part of as big a defeat the club have ever had.

" It was that bad a performance i just can't say let's forget about it that easily, but when all is said
and done i think everybody expected us to get beat beforehand so it's only three points that we
have lost.

" But what it does show is just how much we've still got to improve if we want to go for promotion
next season."

Shawbury quickly fell 2-0 adrift inside the opening three minutes, but might of been back on level
terms shortly afterwards, only for Mark Pragg to blaze a penalty over the bar before Shaun
Humphreys struck a post. But instead of being back in the game 2-2, Shawbury were 5-0 down by
the 20 minute mark and later trailed 8-0 before Darren Leonard finally clawed one back late on,
not that it was the end of the scoring as Tipton scored again to move within touching distance of
double figures.

Shawbury have no game this weekend and instead yhe players will join the management for a
club golf day to get the Tipton trauma out of their systems.