VALIANT'S adventure in the Staffs FA TB Williamson Cup finally came to a close on Sunday morning when Cannock side Uxbridge Athletic proved that little bit too good for them.
A goal in each half from Mark Wright gave the visitors a 2-1 victory.
Abbey Inn gave Blue Mugge a serious test of their title credentials at Birchall, with the match evenly balanced until 70 minutes, when Tim Sanders got the vital first goal for Mugge.
Martin Baker grabbed a second 10 minutes later, but a late goal from Shane Charlesworth gave Mugge a nervy last two minutes.
Abbey slip to third with Dyers Arms going second, but only after having to rescue a point with an Andy Bloore penalty 15 minutes from time against a revitalized Powys Arms at Birchall.
Mike Dunn had given Powys the lead on 65 minutes, but they had a blitz to survive after Dyers levelled.
Unicorn left Biddulph Roaring Meg rooted at the bottom when they won 2-0 at Back Lane Congleton.
Martin Gallagher scored just before the hour mark, and Alan Tagell made sure five minutes from time.
Vale Hoppers suffered their first league defeat when they lost at Back Lane to bottom side Wellington, who occasionally pop up with these results out of the blue.
Chris Statham got the only goal against an out-of-sorts home side on 62 minutes.
This allowed Wetton to close up on the leading two with a 4-1 home win over Mucky Duck, despite the visitors taking the lead on the half hour with an Andy Hulse goal.
The lead lasted three minutes before Matt Gilman equalised, and brother Adam put Wetton in front on the half-time whistle.
Rob Hall extended the lead with 16 minutes to go, and Adam Gilman got his second two minutes later to secure victory and push Mucky Duck down to fifth after leading the table in November.
Waterhouses go above them after an incredible 10-4 defeat of AC Bird in Hand.
Peter Buxton gave Waterhouses the lead on 18 minutes, but Adam Carr instantly replied, only for Paul Widdowson, Buxton again, and Jason Buxton to build an impressive lead.
Andy Dale hit back before half time, Richard Weaver got a fifth for Waterhouses, and Dominic Dawes scored again for Bird to make it 5-3.
But then another goal for Weaver, Peter Buxton with two more, and Jason Buxton with another made it 10 before Mike McCue had last word for Bird in Hand.
Horseshoe Inn again showed their Jekyll and Hyde nature when they lost 4-2 at home to Durham Ox at Waterhouses.
Lee Tawn hit the first of his three goals on six minutes, and added a second on the half hour.
Craig Tristram scored on 51 minutes, and Tawn got his third with 18 minutes left.
Horseshoe woke up, and scored twice in two minutes from Matt Goodwin and Nathan Wilson on 82 and 84 minutes, but it was too little too late.
BIGNALL End cruised into the quarter finals of the Congleton Cup when they won their second round tie against Shamblers Reserves 9-1 at Halmerend.
They actually went a goal behind early on before Paul Martin equalized on the half hour, and a penalty from Gareth Williams just before the interval put them in front.
The second half was all Bignall End as Martin hit his second, and goals from Adam Williams, Danny Meek, Eddie Stillwell, Gareth Rowe, and Sean Vaughan followed, before Martin hit his third late on to complete a rout.
Knutton Matthey reached the semi finals when they proved too good for Mow Cop Athletic, winning 6-2 when Tom Hall and Lee Shepherd gave them the half-time lead.
Andy Archer and Will Sargant added more goals before Mow Cop came back with two goals from Rob Dumigan and Brett Smith, but Knutton Matthey added two more from Nick Dean and Liam Shepherd.