Round-up: Lye Town's play-off hopes dented with defeat at Whitchurch Alport
Lye Town had a “bitter pill to swallow” after a narrow defeat to Whitchurch Alport dented their Midland Premier play-off hopes.
The Flyers conceded eight minutes after the restart to suffer back-to-back defeats.
It leaves them ninth in the standings, four points adrift of the play-off places, and Ball admitted the loss was a tough one to take.
He said: “It was a bitter pill to swallow. We were very good. We just didn't have the rub of the green.
“In the first-half, we had two or three flash across the goal and no one just to put it in the net.
“Obviously, goals change games and they've had a breakaway early in the second-half and scored. We kept going, but we didn't create enough.
“Over the past few months, we've found a way of winning games. In the last two, we’ve just hit a bit of a purple patch.”
Meanwhile, Dudley Town scored a 95th-minute equaliser to snatch a point against fellow play-off hopefuls 1874 Northwich. Both sides were reduced to nine men in a frantic encounter before Matt Funge slammed home the Robins’ late leveller.
Mitch Glover looked to have secured Stone Old Alleynians a stunning victory at Studley in the 94th minute before they conceded with the final kicks of the game in a dramatic 5-5 draw.
The goal-filled encounter saw Stone come back from 4-1 down to lead in stoppage time. Glover's superb volley sent the players, coaching staff and supporters into pandemonium, but Studley scrambled the ball home from a late delivery a minute later to break their hearts.
Third-placed AFC Wolverhampton City came from 3-0 down to draw with local rivals Tividale in a thrilling derby, keeping themselves in a strong position in the play-off race.
Play-off chasing Brocton secured a 2-0 victory at Uttoxeter Town, with goals from Dylan Millington and Kenny Devoir lifting them to sixth in the standings.
In Midland One, leaders Gornal Athletic continued their remarkable unbeaten run with a 2-0 win at Coventry Copsewood. Gornal are now unbeaten in 20 league games and sit two points clear at the top.
Cradley Town won 4-2 at AFC North Kilworth while Bilston Town cruised to a 4-1 victory over Stapenhill. Birmingham OJM beat Lutterworth Athletic 3-2, Wednesfield were beaten 2-0 at Saffron Dynamo and Smethwick Rangers suffered a 3-1 defeat to Ingles.
In the North West Counties League Division One South, Stafford Town’s play-off hopes suffered a setback as they conceded in the 92nd minute to draw with Allscott Heath, while Wolverhampton Casuals claimed a comfortable 3-1 victory over Ashville thanks to goals from Thomas Morris, Joe Cuff and Jack Grimshaw.
In Hellenic League Division One, Bewdley Town’s winning run came to an end with a 4-0 defeat at Cheltenham Saracens. Bewdley had won their previous six matches.
