STEVE Dixon plundered a hat-trick as in-form Lads Club closed the gap at the top of the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One table.

With runaway leaders AFC Ludlow losing for the first time this season - a bizarre 4-1 defeat at Darlaston in which they conceded three penalties - second-placed Lads Club trimmed their advantage to seven points with a 5-2 victory over Wrens Nest.

And they host Ludlow in a mouth-watering showdown at the County Ground next Saturday.

Dean Drezewski, with a terrific volley, and a spot kick from Danny Moon accounted for their other goals, with both teams reduced to ten men in the first half when the referee controversially sent off Josh Pugh after a Wrens Nest player appeared to get him in a head lock.

The official also booked five Lads Club players.

Tom Parry was another treble chancer as Kington Town made it five wins on the spin to move up into seventh place - and with games in hand on all the teams above them.

Parry’s hat-trick fronted a 4-2 home win over Trysull, with fellow ex-Bartestee man Miles Langford also on target.

Bartestree are also on the up, their fourth win in the last six matches seeing goals from Darren Andrews, Max Powell and Richard Harrison defeat St Martins 3-1.