The Saltmen tasted defeated for the first time in 2023, and for the first time after five straight victories.

Shawbury came in to the encounter on an excellent run of form themselves, and sat 10 points clear of the relegation zone at the start of play, with new signing Joe Cuff scoring 6 goals in his previous two starts.

It was Cuff who should have opened the scoring with just 3 minutes on the clock, after some disorganised Spa defending allowed him through on goal, but he fired his effort over from 10 yards out.

Cuff was the main threat, but experienced strike partner Marc Addagio then forced a comfortable save from Matt Oliver.

Both sides struggled on a very heavy surface; it was the only game in Division 1 to survive the recent weather conditions on a grass pitch.

Spa toiled and worked hard, but save for a 15-minute period in the first half, their efforts went unrewarded.

Connor Collins came close, Matty Hunt and Alex Dugmore then had headed efforts off targer after some fine free kicks swung in from Jack Brighton.
Collins escaped down the right hand side, his low cross was bound for an unmarked Perry Moss rushing in to the box, but home 'keeper Dan Pilkington's low save cut out the cross.
Collins then squandered a free kick in a promising position, which was a comfortable catch for Pilkington, and that was the most notable action that Droitwich would conjure up.

The hosts were well drilled at the back and always dangerous going forward, and took a deserved lead when Cuff's neat 1-2 with Dan Fenlon culminated in a low strike in to Oliver's bottom corner despite the scrambling effort's of Droitwich's defence for his 7th goal in 3 games.

The Spa defence was rocking and this time Adaggio saw an effort cleared off the line, as the two sides went in to the break with the score-line at 1-0.

The half time team-talks didn't seem to make any difference to Droitwich, as soon after the restart Cuff escaped once again, but the on-rushing Matt Oliver saved well at the strikers' feet.

Droitwich just weren't having the run of the ball and Collins & Lemon were fed off scraps all afternoon.
A change in formation almost reaped rewards when Brighton's cross missed the head of Collins by millimeters, and still it was United who looked the more dangerous.

It was certainly an afternoon to forget for the Saltmen, and by the end the visitors had fours strikers on the pitch, to no avail.
The impressive Sam Hurdman limped off 10 minutes from time to end a forgettable day for Andy Crowther's men, who will want to forget about this result quickly.
They have the ideal opportunity to do just that, as on Tuesday night (ko 7.45pm) the re-arranged Worcestershire Senior Cup Quarter Final against Pershore Town will be played at Kingy's.
Spa will need to be at their very best to further progress to the Semi Finals, where Redditch United and Evesham United await the outcomes of this game, and Stourport Swifts vs Kidderminster Harriers.