A HABIT of conceding late goals has left Shawbury United far lower in the West Midlands Premier Division than they should be, insists manager Declan Allen.

Shawbury sit 13th in the 18-team league, albeit with as many as five games in hand on some of the teams above them, ahead of this Saturday’s game at home to fifth-placed Darlaston Town.

United’s game at basement side Cradley Town was rained off last weekend but they drew 2-2 at Wolverhampton Sporting Community in what Allen felt were two points dropped in midweek.

George Burslem’s second goal of the game put Shawbury ahead in stoppage time but Sporting went straight up the other end to equalise with virtually the last kick of the match.

Allen said: “It’s alright saying we have played fewer games than everybody else but we have to take advantage when we play those games.

“Wolverhampton Sporting was one of them and it felt like we dropped two points. We have to make every game count.

“You are at your most vulnerable just after you have scored but we should have seen it out and the lads have learned a harsh lesson from that and hopefully it won’t happen again.

“We have conceded late on in three games now from winning positions – if you put those six points we have lost as a result on the board, we would be in the top six now.

“It’s an issue we have to solve because it’s so tight in the league – there are six or seven points covering a load of teams.”

On Darlaston, he added: “They lost their last game 8-4 which shows there’s goals to be had against them.”