SHAWBURY United boss Declan Allen has challenged his side to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season after watching them take another step on the Road to Wembley.

United reached the first round proper of the FA Vase with a 3-0 win over Gornal Athletic on Saturday setting up another home game against Uttoxeter Town next month.

But their Vase run has come at a price, having slipped down the West Midlands Premier table, a slide they hope to reverse when they host derby rivals and basement side Wem Town on Saturday.

Allen said: “The table is a bit false because we have played two or three fewer games than most sides and I’ve said to the lads that we haven’t had back-to-back victories yet.

“That’s our immediate challenge and while Wem are bottom and have conceded a few goals, we have to treat it as we would any other game.

“After Wem we play several teams in and around us so it’s an ideal opportunity to put a run together.”

A Kieran Dovey strike, a 30-yard David Jones free-kick and a header from 16-year-old Jack Sweeney gave Shawbury victory over a game Gornal side from a league below but Allen was not impressed.

He added: “It was a convincing result in the end but we had words at half-time because the first-half performance wasn’t up to scratch, it wasn’t at the level we set as a group.”

Uttoxeter will provide stiff opposition on October 12 as they sit fifth in Midland League Division One, the equivalent division to Shawbury’s West Midlands Premier.

Allen added: “It’s a good tie for both sides. Both will look at it as winnable. The chairman has been great because he’s said the players can have a percentage of the winnings from the competition.

“That’s a little extra incentive for the players to get a few extra pennies for their end-of-season do.”

In West Midlands Two, Owen Holdsworth and Dean Richards earned Church Stretton a 2-2 draw at Walsall Town Swifts while Ludlow thumped Warstones Wanderers 5-2.

It was 2-2 after ten minutes but Ludlow scored three times unanswered after the break. Tom Everall (2), Ryan Lewis, Dan Griffiths and Jack Davies netted.