BOSS Dave Richards was 'over the moon' after Shawbury United scalped Midland League heavyweights Worcester City – now he wants similar performances against the lesser lights.

Shawbury broke the shackles of a seven-match losing streak to topple in-form City 2-1 courtesy of goals from Josh Thomas and a fitting first half winner from Steve Faux.

The result lifted Shawbury off the bottom and gave Richards fresh hope that his tweaked side could start to climb the Premier Division.

“Everyone probably thought we would get a good hiding but the lads showed they could compete and battle which made the difference,” said Richards.

“We probably rode our luck at times but also had a couple of chances to make it 3-1.

"It was a great result and I was over the moon.

“The lads were well motivated and I didn’t have to say much to them.

"People call it your cup final which maybe is a bit disrespectful but we showed a great battling spirit.

“If we’re going to get out of this, that’s the kind of passion we’re going to need to show against the lower teams, those who are around us.

“We were solid.

"James Askey was great at the back, so was Jeff Watkins in his first game for us in central midfield.

"Ian Havard returned as well.

“Having those three players gave us a spine that we had been missing.

"No disrespect to the other lads because they have all given everything but when you bring in players who have been about and know the game, it makes a difference.

“It is the little things like rallying around the younger lads, talking, galvanising everyone.”

Shawbury took the lead when Ross Jones scampered into space and cut the ball back for Thomas to unerringly lash in the opener after 16 otherwise-uneventful minutes.

Worcester had star striker Mark Danks sent off for an alleged stamp on Thomas midway through the first half but the visitors were far from done.

Lee Hughes peeled into space on the right of the box and while Shawbury new boy Watkins picked up the loose ball, Alex Tomkinson nipped in and fired low to Havard’s right.

But within two minutes, Faux cushioned a crisp 20-yard volley low to Tom Palmer’s right, settling a contest that had little incident in the second half.

On the red card incident, Richards added: “It was a straight red card for me.

"The lad went down and put out a straight leg.

"From my view, he stamped on him and that was how the referee saw it.

“He pleaded his innocence but when you play football, if you’re pulling out of something you don’t do it with a straight leg.

"You pull it up.

“We have had situations where our lads have been sent off for nothing this season.”