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HAPPY travellers Shawbury United gained their ninth away league win of the season with a
hard-earned 2-1 success at Shropshire rivals Newport Town on Tuesday night.

The result which extends Shawbury's unbeaten run to ten games keeps the consistent
Butler Sports Ground side in a healthy fourth place in the West Midland Regional Premier
Division table.

" It wasn't a very good match and both teams cancelled each other out for long stages, "
said Shawbury's joint manager Alan Smith, a former Newport boss. " Newport defended well
and made it very difficult for us but it was another good win."

Shawbury opened up a 20th minute lead when Mark Pragg and Andy Reeve combined
before Steve Giles sent Andy Oakley clear and the striker made no mistake with a classy
finish.

Newport equalised just before the break and also forced in-form Shawbury goalkeeper
Mark Jones to make three fine saves.

But Shawbury grabbed the vital winner midway through the second half when Giles did well
down the right before crossing for Reeve to coolly chip the winner.

There was still time for a late scare for the visitors when Chritian Slade fired just wide for
Newport from a chance he should of tucked away.

Shawbury United will be out to erase the memories of a " bad day at the office " when
they visit Heath Hayes on Wednesday evening.

United suffered their first league defeat of 2004 on Saturday when they slipped to a
surprise 2-0 home reverse to Smethwick ST.

And joint manager Alan Smith has demanded his side must experience no hangover to that
defeat when they return to action on Wednesday night.

He said : " It was a bad day at the office and everybody from management to players has
to hold their hands up and say they got it wrong. The two goals they scored were a joke.
For the first one, their lad gave Chris Skitt a forehand smash to the face and went on to
score - everyone was astonished it was given, and the second one was three yards offside -
and that's being generous .

" But no excuses, we slipped below our usual standards and now we have to show the
signs of a good team by bouncing straight back."

Shawbury's cause on Wednesday will not be helped with injuries to three key players Tom
Ward, Nicky Guy and Stuart Mycock all struggling.

SHAWBURY United are under no illusions they need to show a big improvement to pick
up a result against Kington on saturday after last weekend's shock home defeat at the
hands of lowly Smethwick Sikh Temple.

Shawbury were odds on favourites to extend their ten-game unbeaten run in the West
Midland League Premier Division against a Smethwick side just one place off the bottom
of the table.

But the side jointly managed by Alan Smith & Delwyn Humphreys were made to think
again as Smethwick pulled off a shock 2-0 win just their sixth victory in 26 league games
this term.

Shawbury now need to raise their game cosiderably to prevent a repeat performance
this weekend when third placed Kington, one place directly above Shawbury in the table
but well ahead on points gained, head for the Butler Sports Ground.

Shawbury could be excused for wishing Saturday's game was away rather than at
home as they continue to perform much better on their travels.

Shawbury have lost just once away from home in 13 league games this season,
running out winners nine times, but at home it's a different story with a disappointing
return of five wins, five defeats and three draws from 13 outings.

Shawbury's walking wounded have been saluted for being magnificent in midweek and have
been challenged to produce a repeat performance in their big match with Kington.

A patched up side including veteran joint manager Delwyn Humphreys bounced back from
the shocking setback against Smethwick to win 2-0 at Heath Hayes on Wednesday evening.

BEAMING

The result keeps the villagers in fourth spot and was even more impressive given that half of
the Shawbury side, including goalscorers Tom Ward and Andy Oakley, were playing with
injuries.

Co-boss Alan Smith was beaming with pride after the win, saying : " We were absolutely
magnificent and it's the best we've played for a long, long time especially as we had to turn to
our walking wounded.

" We could do more of the same against Kington on Saturday because they're the only team
to beat us away all season even if our home form leaves plenty to be desired."

Darren Evason , Stuart Mycock , Colin Smith and Nicky Guy are all struggling to be fit for
Saturday.

Shawbury United felt they were worthy of a win after putting rivals Kington Town to the sword in
their Express & Star League Premier division clash at Wem.

But the villagers had to settle for a 1-1 draw which does little for either club's promotion
ambitions with high-fliers Malvern & Tipton both winning.

Delwyn Humphreys and Alan Smith's men trailed to a scrappy goal at the break after failing to
clear a ball in the box midway through the first half.

DUSTED

But Andy Oakley levelled matters on 70 minutes when he was fouled for a penalty and dusted
himself down to score from the spot.

The result leaves Shawbury in fourth spot , a place behind Kington , and Smith said : " We
didn't play very well in the first half and gave them too much respect.

" But in the second half we went at them and their goal led a charmed life , while our goalkeeper
didn't even touch the ball.

" We were unlucky not to win at the end."

SHAWBURY United remain on course to achieve their pre-season ambition of a top four
finish in the West Midland League Premier Division, much to the delight of joint manager
Alan Smith.

The Butler Sports Ground outfit retrieved a half-time deficit to pick up a point from a 1-1
draw with Kington, the team directly above them, last weekend, with Smith hailing the
fighting qualities of his players.

" We didn't play well first half and maybe showed Kington too much respect, " said
Smith. " But we really went for it in the second half and, to be fair we battered them
with their keeper making some good saves.

" But it was a good point for us and it keeps us fourth in the table. We predicted top
four at the start of the season and it's looking more of a probability.

FINISHED STRONGLY

Kington deservedly lead 1-0 at the break courtesy of a Ben Chambers strike which left
goalkeeper Mark Jones with no chance.

But Shawbury were much better in the second half and pulled level in the 65th minute
courtesy of a penalty from Andy Oakley the former Telford United frontman had been
upended in the box.

Shawbury finished strongly with Steve Giles seeing a fierce strike deflected into the side
netting while Tom Ward also went close as the Herefordshire visitors just about held on for a
draw. Smith added it was a good team display from Shawbury, singling out left-wing back
Lee Hanmer , brother of ex-Shrewsbury Town player Gareth, and centre half Dave Timms
for a special mention.

Shawbury put their excellent away record to the test again when they travel to lowly
Ettingshall HT on Saturday. Smith said: " The top teams dont worry us as we know we can
beat them , but it's the teams in the lower half of the table like Ettingshall that we seem to
have problems with.

" But it's an away game and our away form is superb. It's still our home form thats letting
us down and we can't seem to get it together. We just can't put our finger on what the
problem is.

SHAWBURY UNITED have been given a triple boost by addind two more good players to their
squad and also holding on to highly-rated striker Tom Ward, a transfer target for higher division
Bridgnorth Town.

Shawbury's joint manager Delwyn Humphreys says he is delighted to have enticed Ludlow
Town midfielder Darren Leonard and promising young Meole Brace forward Tom Rogers to the
Butler Sports Ground.

And he adds the news that Ward, who joined Shawbury from Hopesgate earlier this season,
has rejected an opportunity to sign for Bridgnorth has provided the West Midland League
highfliers with an extra boost.

" Bridgnorth put in seven days for Tom and were also offering him money to go and play there,"
said Humphreys. " But he's turned them down as he's happy at Shawbury and that's been great
for us.

" It's similair really to Darren Leonard who was getting paid at Ludlow but has now decided to
come and play for us and he says money wasn't his motive for playing.

SIGNING

" Darren's another good signing for us and it helps that he knows quite a few of our lads from
playing with them on a sunday.

" We've also signed Tom Rogers, a young lad, whose been banging in the goals for county
league side Meole Brace, and he's another good player."

Leonard made a goalscoring debut for Shawbury as they extended their remarkable sequance
of away results with a 3-0 victory at Ettingshall HT last weekend -- it was Shawbury's 11th win in
15 away games this season, of which only one ended in defeat.

Leonard's goal came on the half-hour mark as he headed home an inswinging corner from Dave
Timms.

It was sandwiched in between a double strike from Andy Oakley, now back to his best after a
difficult spell which saw him lose his place in the side.

Oakley gave Shawbury an early lead, turning a loose ball in after the keeper failed to hold on to a
cross, and the former Telford United man struck again when his wind assisted cross-cum-shot
sailed into the net.

" Andy was going through a bad patch and snatching at chances but we nursed him through it
and he's got four goals in three games now," added Humphreys.

Shawbury who remain fourth, go to Bromyard on Saturday before hosting Mkt Drayton on
Tuesday night 7.45 ko.

Shawbury eased to another comfortable win this week by beating lowly placed a young
looking Wolverhampton Casuals 4-1, Shawbury were quickest out of the blocks by opening
up a two goal lead in the first half, the first was cross from Andy Reeve but unfortunate for
a Wolve's Casual defender who deflected it in to his own net.

Shawbury then thought they had doubled their lead when a Steve Giles strike looked a
certain goal but the referee and his assistant failed to see that the ball had clearly crossed
over the goal line, Shawbury did get their reward five minutes later when Andy Reeve fired
in from close range to make it 2-0.

Shawbury then extended their lead early in the second half from an Andy Oakley strike,
Wolve's Casuals pulled one back but it was not enough to trouble Shawbury and Steve Giles
sealed the game with a volley from close range.

Shawbury were grateful for a point from their trip to Herefordshire after twice fighting
back from going behind to salvage a point at Bromyard,

The hosts took the lead on 25 minutes but were soon pegged back when new signing
Darren Leonard found the net for the second time in three games.

Shawbury were grateful for two fine saves from goalkeeper Mark Jones to go into the
interval on level terms but felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Andy
Oakley was brought down just inside the box just after the break.

Bromyard took the lead for the second time on the hour mark, but a late strike from
Oakley earned Shawbury a point.

Shawbury Utd 0 Market Drayton 0

Shawbury and Market Drayton played out a Shropshire stalemate in the E & S West
Midlands League Premier Division last night in a match marred by two red cards.

Shawbury duo Andy Oakley and Nicky Guy both received their marching orders in
the second half of a tense local derby.

That left the hosts to play out the last 15 minutes with just nine men but they held on
for a point, much to the delight of joint manager Alan Smith.

He said: " We were disappointed with both red cards which we felt were
undeserved but credit to our players because they battled well and it was one of our
best performances of the season in terms of character we showed.

" We had a tough game on Saturday and a lot of lads played in a cup final on Sunday
so we were like the walking wounded.

" But the spirit and the battling qualities in the team were tremendous and we
certainly deserved our point."

Clear cut chances were few and far between with Steve Giles seeing a lob go inches
wide for Shawbury while Luke Reynolds twice went close for the visitors, who were
satisfied with a point.

Drayton manager Lee Roberts said: " It was a typical local derby in that it was a dull
affair but it was a good point for us."

DELWYN Humphreys saluted the battling qualities of his patched up
Shawbury United side after they held Shropshire rivals Market
Drayton to a goalless draw on Tuesday night.

Shawbury finished the game with nine men after Andy Oakley and
Nicky Guy were both sent off , with joint boss Humphreys quick to
praise the efforts of his West Midland League Premier division
high-fliers.

" When the chips are down the lads keep going and never give
up," said Humphreys. " The referee was atrocious and he
even got stick from the Drayton fans when he came off at the end.

" He sent Andy Oakley off early in the second half for an alleged
use of the elbow which was a total farce and then Nicky Guy was
sent off 15 minutes from time. He wanted to take a quick freekick
but was stopped from doing so and after a bit of push and shove he
also went.

" Overall it was a great point for us as we had five regulars out
and also played three lads who were struggling with injuries.
" We'd have took a point before the game and the lads really
battled well."