DYERS Arms closed to within a point of Blue Mugge at the top of the Premier Division table on Sunday morning with a 4-1 defeat of Black Lion, who started the day below them only on goal difference.
It was an even first half, with Dan Shenton giving Dyers the lead after 20 minutes, but Jake Bowyer levelling five minutes later.
The damage was done on the hour when Steve Brentnall restored Dyers’ lead, and added a third five minutes later.
Ollie Shenton made sure with 10 minutes left.
Valiant went third, above Black Lion on goal difference, after thrashing Biddulph Roaring Meg 7-0 on the next pitch.
There was no sign of what was to come when Stuart Whitehurst opened the scoring after 16 minutes, and Jon Kirkham made it two on 23.
Matt Adams added the third two minutes into the second half, and goals flowed steadily from then on, from Jamie McNicholas, Richard Smith, Ricky Mallen, and Sean Scragg.
Abbey Inn went out of the Staffs FA Sunday Challenge Cup despite gaining home advantage when the match was switched to Birchall.
Dresden Park Rangers won 1-0, with the only goal coming midway through the second half.
Horseshoe Inn reached the fourth round of the Staffs FA Sunday Trophy when they beat Meir KA 4-3 at Hilderstone Road, after surviving a tremendous second-half comeback from their hosts.
Horseshoe had swept into a fourgoal half-time lead when Matt Goodwin gave them the lead on seven minutes, and an own goal after 18 minutes was quickly followed by a Rob Needham strike.
Another own goal a minute from the break should have seen Horseshoe home and dry, but Josh Burke pulled a goal back on 55 minutes.
Trevor Barlow added a second on 67 minutes, and Matt Clark gave Horseshoe a frantic last 12 minutes to hang on with a third.
Horseshoe will visit Stoke Gremio in the quarter-finals on January 24 after they beat Queen Victoria 4-2 Unicorn made the trip up to Stockport in the Cheshire Sunday Cup, but were soundly beaten by Queens Bredbury 5-0.
Three of the goals came in the last ten minutes as Unicorn chased the game after being a goal behind at half time, and going a further goal down on the hour.
Waterhouses won their way to the quarter-finals of the JW Howson Cup, winning 3-2 at home to Premier Division side Powys Arms courtesy of a Richard Weaver hat-trick.
Mike Dunne gave Powys the lead after nine minutes, but Weaver equalized just after the half hour.
He put Waterhouses in front after three second-half minutes, and added the third on 66 minutes.
Powys got a second goal back from Dunne in a frantic finale with four minutes to go.
Vale Hoppers went top of Division One with a crushing 4-0 defeat of third-placed AFC Valiant at Back Lane Congleton.
Matt McBride put them ahead after 17 minutes, and Rob McGubbin made it two on 37.
He put the match out of reach with a penalty on the hour, and McBride scored the fourth with 10 minutes remaining.
Wetton won a pulsating match 5-3 at home to Wellington when they came back with a hat-trick in 12 minutes from Lee Ward after Mitch Brennan had given Wellington a 15th-minute lead.
He levelled five minutes later, and Rob Hall added a fourth with a penalty on 37 minutes.
Steve Parkes quickly pulled one back for Wellington, but a quieter second half saw Greg Salt put the match out of reach on 65 minutes, although Ian Gater did score again for Wellington.
AC Bird in Hand are easing up the table after a 3-2 victory away to Durham Ox at Back Lane.
Adam Carr gave them the lead after 14 minutes, and Dominic Dawes made it two on the half hour.
He added a third four minutes after the interval, but Wesley Morris gave Durham Ox hope on the hour. Chris Edwards scored again five minutes from time, but a third for a share of the points eluded them.