Under-cooked Badgers are beaten on return to action

The hosts fell to just their fourth loss of the season, but took the lead early on through Regan Smith’s unstoppable low strike 11 minutes in.

However, two second-half goals gave the visitors all three points, and Brocton boss Alex Curtis was extremely complimentary of his side’s opponents.

“Credit to Droylsden, they deserved the points,” Curtis admitted. “They were sharper than us throughout the game and we missed so many chances which we would normally put away.”

He added: “Their keeper was superb, but he wouldn’t have been able to stop some of the shots if we had been more clinical.

“The 18-day lay-off certainly told and I thought we were a bit leggy – you can train as much as you like, but there is nothing like actual game time to keep you sharp.”

Brocton are now without a game for another fortnight, a situation that is massively frustrating to Regan Smith and his players.

“We could really do without another break, but we will be ready for the Stockport game, and we go again,” Smith said. “We have continually looked at one game at a time, and we are not changing that approach now.”

Meanwhile, 10th-placed Stafford Town were thrashed 4-0 at home by ninth-placed Cheadle Heath Nomads, while 12th-placed Eccleshall won 2-1 at home to New Mills.

In the West Midlands Premier Division, Dudley Town won 3-0 at Tividale to move clear of the relegation zone.

Jamie Beddall, Harry Crook and Ethan Muckley all found the net for Dudley, who have now won six league games in a row.

Joseph Drakeley’s goal earned 10-man Wolverhampton Casuals a 1-1 draw at Northwich Victoria, leaving both sides sitting precariously above the drop zone.

Stourport Swifts eased to a 3-0 win at home against Stone Old Alleynians, with goals from Jack Watts, Jamie Meddows and Ryan Glenister securing all three points.

Maxwell Chucks Ngbeken Itota scored Darlaston Town’s only goal in their 3-1 defeat at runaway league-leaders Congleton Town.

Second-placed Lichfield City kept in touch with Congleton after a powerful strike into the bottom corner from Jack Edwards earned them a 1-0 win at home to Shifnal Town.

And bottom-of-the-league Bewdley Town fell to another convincing defeat, this time going down 3-0 at home to Shropshire outfit Whitchurch Alport.

In Division One, Declan Bibb and Sam Banner scored for Cradley Town in their 2-2 draw at Coton Green. The visitors, who started the day in second, let two points slip against a Coton Green side struggling at the bottom of the league and sitting just three points outside of the relegation zone.

Elsewhere in the division, OJM Black Country strolled to a 6-1 victory at AFC Bridgnorth, Bilston Town lost 1-0 at home to Nuneaton Griff and Wednesfield won 1-0 against Stapenhill.

Bottom side Smethwick Rangers were thrashed 5-1 at Droitwich Spa for their 22nd defeat of the league campaign, while Wolves Sporting moved three points clear of the bottom three after Leslie Omorodion’s goal gave them a 1-0 win at Coventry Copsewood.