Brocton return to winning ways to stay in the Midland Premier Division title hunt

The Badgers ended 2024 with a first defeat in 11 games but Will Whieldon converted from the spot to give them the lead inside 15 minutes. 

Whieldon bagged his brace just before the hour which proved decisive as Studley scored a late consolation. 

League leaders Lichfield City maintained their four-point lead over Brocton with a 3-1 victory at Romulus as Jude Taylor climbed off the bench to seal maximum points with a late double. 

OJM Black Country romped to a resounding 5-0 victory at Tividale to climb into eighth with back-to-back league wins. 

Dudley Town sit midtable after stunning promotion hopefuls 1874 Northwich in a 5-2 victory. Jordan Davies and Matthew Funge both scored braces before Brad Mansell completed the scoring late on.

Timmy Oyanda and Freddie Cockerell were on the score sheet as AFC Wulfrunians battled to a hard fought 2-2 draw at Whitchurch Alport. 

Elsewhere, rock bottom Wolverhampton Casuals' trip to fellow relegation rivals Highgate United was called off due to a frozen pitch.

In Division One, Cradley Town were deprived the chance to strengthen their grip on the play-off spots after their local derby at Gornal Athletic also failed to survive the weather. 

However, Smethwick Rangers failed to move level on points with Cradley after falling to a 1-0 defeat at Nuneaton Griff with Daniel Edmonds scoring the only goal for the hosts.

Second from bottom Wednesfield Community remain eight points adrift of safety after losing 4-1 at league leaders Nuneaton Town. 

Strikes from Sahel Yessen and Cody Mullan provided Nuneaton with a two-goal cushion at the break which was extended by Carl Samuel just after the restart. 

Ben Hovis reduced the arrears for Wednesfield but James Harrison climbed off the bench to immediately restore Nuneaton's three-goal advantage.

Stafford remain top of the North West Division One South despite falling to a 3-1 defeat at home to New Mills. 

James Perry's brace followed by Danny Warburton's solitary strike propelled New Mills into a 3-0 lead inside 32 minutes. 

Patryk Mazurkiewicz reduced the deficit from the spot on the cusp of half-time but Stafford hold on to top spot on goal difference, after second-place Winsford United's clash against Abbey Hutton United was postponed.  

Eccleshall continue to edge closer to the play-off spots after making it three wins in a row with a 2-0 victory over Alsager Town. 

Quickfire goals from Jay Ford and Joshua Waite after the break guided Eccleshall to within just six points of the top five with two games in hand.

Second from bottom Wolverhampton Sporting Community suffered a heart breaking 4-3 defeat at Market Drayton Town.

They came from two goals behind as Samuel Kayode's double cancelled out first half strikes from Jack Finney and Daniel Holdcroft. 

Finney restored Market Drayton's lead 18 minutes from time before Kayode equalised to complete his hat-trick. 

But Finney converted from the spot to bring up a treble of his own to leave Wolverhampton two points adrift of safety.