Midland Football Combination
Premier Division

West Midlands Police 1 Shifnal Town 0

After three consecutive cup games (including back to back defeats in the Smedley Crooke Cup and the National Police Cup), West Mids returned to league action and picked up three valuable points against lowly Shifnal.

After a slow start, the first real chance on 33 minutes fell to West Mids but Kevin Casson (ex Stourbridge making his Police debut) fired just over from the edge of the box. Then, Polce keeper Ross Bate had to go full length to push Gary Owen's shot on the turn away for a corner

The turning point of the game came on 38 minutes when Shifnal were reduced to ten men, Michael Flavell received a red card. A minute later West Mids took the lead when Mark Bellingham swung in a corner kick and with the Shifnal defence static the ball landed at the feet of Steve Piearce who side-footed home from close range.

In the second half West Mids seemed content to hold on to what they had, but had to thank Ross Bate on 68 minutes when he spread himself well to block a shot from Stuart Woodman who had burst through.

Deep in to stoppage time Shifnal might have equalised when a long free kick bounced through the Police defence but Woodman following up just failed to get a toe on the ball and it ran safely to Bate.