Despite the defeat, Glapwell managed to hang onto the final play-off place after other results went their way, but after their home against Cammell Laird last night was rained-off, Saturday's (3pm) visit of Shepshed Dynamo is a game they must win in order to maintain their promotion challenge.

Glapwell were forced to make a late change to the side when regular left full-back Damien Magee reported still being able to feel the groin strain he picked up in the previous game against Sheffield.

But the visitors would still have been hoping for at least a point to take back to Derbyshire with them, despite this early setback.

However, Drayton were looking to complete the double over Glapwell and they were brimming with confidence after comfortably beating another of the league's promotion-hunters, Chasetown, in midweek.

And it was the home side that enjoyed much the better of a largely scrappy first half, taking a one goal lead into the interval with a far post header from skipper Paul McMullen just before the half-hour, off Nicky Porter's free-kick from deep on the left.

In the minute before that, Glapwell had been fortunate to survive when Tom Rogers' shot from inside the box on the left beat keeper Andy Richmond.

But Adam Kimberley was well positioned to save the day, clearing the ball off the line when it looked certain that Drayton would take the lead.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the field, Glapwell had very little to show for a frustrating first-half's work in which they struggled to get their usual attacking game going.

And, despite a real hope that things would improve after the interval, matters took a distinct turn for the worse for the visitors soon after the re-start when they fell further behind in cruel circumstances, the ball rebounding into the net off Drayton's Marc Stallard's legs from Glapwell defender Matt Varley's attempt to clear Porter's in-swinging corner from the left.

It was a body blow for the visitors, but half-time substitute Conor Higginson gave the Glapwell some hope with the goal of the game shortly afterwards - a superb strike from fully 30 yards that swerved high, out of Drayton keeper Steve Taylor's reach to his left.

That lifted the visitors and Higginson went close again just under 10 minutes later when he clipped the outside of the angle of crossbar and near post with a first-time 10-yard shot, off Ricky Hanson's low free-kick from wide on the right.

Glapwell kept the pressure on after that, but Drayton's rearguard soaked up all the visitors could throw at them and Higginson's memorable goal proved to be just a consolation for his side in the final reckoning.

In fact, Drayton's winning margin might have been greater than it was but for keeper Richmond, who was left exposed at the other end by the visitors pushing up in a desperate attempt to get something from the game. He was kept busy by Rogers, second-half substitute David Howarth and Martyn Davies in the latter stages.

Market Drayton Town: Taylor, Francis, Howells, Carvey, McMullen, Stallard, Porter, Humphries, Davies, Rogers (Roberts 85mins), Ellis (Howarth 60mins). Subs not used: Beech, Timmis, Spooner.

Glapwell: Richmond, Darkin, Kimberley, Varley, Kennedy, Timons, Hanson, Shelley (Wood 74mins), Clarke (Muldoon 82mins), Brown (Higginson h/t), Walker. Subs not used: Kitchen, Magee.

Referee: D. A Croft of Birkenhead.
Attendance: 97.

Goals: Market Drayton - McMullen 26mins, Stallard 46. Glapwell - Higginson 51mins.

Glapwell Man of the Match: Andy Richmond.

Ricky Hanson's second half goal helped fourth-placed Glapwell take a vital, if disappointing, point in a 1-1 draw against second-placed promotion rivals Sheffield FC at a blustery, rain-soaked Hall Corner last Tuesday night.

Sheffield had the better of the first-half and, following a brief period of sustained pressure, they took the lead on 15 minutes through Ashley Longstaff from eight yards out at the far post.

Glapwell's game improved after the break and Hanson levelled the scores eight minutes into the second-half when he lashed the loose ball into the open net from 12 yards on the left, after keeper Spooner had done well to deny Clarke again when he was put through by strike-partner Ian Brown's superb defence-splitting pass.

Glapwell: Richmond, Darkin, Magee, Varley, Kennedy, Shelley, Hanson (Kimberley 78), Walker, Clarke (Grayson 67), Brown (Higginson 75), Kitchen. Subs not used: Commons, West.

Sheffield FC: Spooner, Eagers, Starosta, Jones (Cooksey 67), Wright, Woodhouse, Outram (Adam 62), Gascoigne, Cusworth, Longstaff (B Walker 70), Wooley. Subs not used: Purkiss, Roney.

Referee: J. W. Thornhill of Ilkeston.

Attendance: 141.

Glapwell Man of the Match: Damien Magee.