MARK Swann scored twice after coming off the bench as Gornal Athletic got the better of Shifnal Town.

The hosts went ahead when visiting defender Adam Smith bundled the ball into his own net from Marvin Nisbett’s cross.

Matt Martin doubled the lead early in the second period just minutes after Shifnal had strong claims for a penalty waved away.

Chris Henry did pull one back from the spot for the visitors but Swann’s brace made sure of the points.

This was the largest margin of victory in four meetings between these two sides this season which have produced a total of 25 goals.

While this game may not have had the thrills of the Peacocks 5-4 win in Shropshire two weeks ago, it was not without controversy.

Ian Rowe’s men deserved the win, no doubt about it. But the game may have taken a different course, had either referee Ciaran Hanna or his assistant spotted the Gornal hand which blocked Shifnal striker Andy Thompson’s goalbound effort two minutes into the second half.

In truth that was a rare attempt from the visitors, who had Gornal’s first half profligacy to thank for still being in the game.

The win moves Gornal to within five points of West Midlands Premier leaders Black Country Rangers, with four games in hand. 2011 has been a memorable year at the Garden Walk. 2012 could be even better.

Matt Martin looked set to put the hosts inside two minutes as he raced untouched into the box from the left, only for his finish to be blocked by a covering defender.

Kristian Green was the next to go close but made his one-on-one finish too easy for Shifnal keeper Mark Bissell after Nisbett had put him clear.

When Bissell was beaten, it was by his own man. Nisbett broke down the right and worked his way to the byline before firing in a low cross which Smith, under pressure from Calum Martin, could only steer into his own net.

Liam Bodd tested home keeper James Pemberton with a rare chance for the visitors, while at the other end Pat Ellis was alert to nick the ball off the feet of Nisbett as the Gornal man shaped to shoot. Nisbett also fired over with an extravagant overhead kick.

When Shifnal’s Luke Davies finally did find some space to shoot, his effort was straight at Pemberton, while Chris Henry was a constant menace for the visitors without ever really sniffing a chance.

Gornal were in the ascendency but were too often let down by poor decision making and their final ball as the half petered out.

But the second period started in dramatic fashion as Shifnal were denied what they felt was a clear penalty. A scramble in the Gornal box following a corner saw Thompson fire at goal from eight yards out and the ball looked destined for the net, before being deflected away by what appeared to be a blue-sleeved arm. Shifnal’s players and staff appealed for a penalty but there was no signal forthcoming from Hanna or his linesman.

Gornal nearly rubbed their faces in it straight away as they broke and Green fired over from Calim Martin’s cross but their second was not long in coming. It was the Martin’s who combined, Calum feeding Matt whose lofted finish crossed the line despite the best efforts of the covering defender.

He nearly grabbed a third after delightfully skipping past two defenders only to be denied by Bissell, before Shifnal suddenly found themselves back in the game through a goal which again saw Mr Hanna and his assistant at the centre of attention. Thompson seemed several yards offside as he collected a through ball before being felled by Pemberton. It was a clear spot-kick, with the Gornal keeper being shown yellow and not red thanks to the covering defenders, while Lee Wherton and Robin Keates both had their names put in the book for protesting the non-offside call. Henry coolly sent Pemberton the wrong way from the spot to bring the contest back to life.

Pemberton did well to gather an acrobatic Glenn Coney attempt as the hosts endured a few nervous moments, before the introduction of Swann for Nisbett gave Gornal the clinical edge they needed.

The former Dudley Town man had only been on the pitch five minutes before the visiting backline appeared to evaporate, allowing him a clear run on goal and though Bissell was equal to his first attempt, Swann kept his cool to lob home the rebound.

With the two goal cushion restored, the hosts loosened up and began to play their best football of the game. Bissell did well to deny Matt Martin’s close range header. Green had an attempt cleared off the line.

In the end it took something special to unlock the Shifnal defence once more. Swann picked up the ball 25 yards out and glided past a defender, before lifting a perfect chip over the advanced Bissell from the edge of the box.

GORNAL: Pemberton, Young, Keates, Gater, Waterhouse (c), Green, Perks (Wilkhoo 79), Wherton, Martin C (Nicholls 72), Nisbett (Swann 67), Martin M Subs not used: Weyman, Wood.

Goals: Smith og 11, Martin M 51, Swann 72 84.

SHIFNAL: Bissell, Smith, Griffin, Ellis, Williams (c), Howells, Davies, Bodd, Henry, Thompson (Kent 65), Coney Subs not used: Hill, Robinson, Pinneiro.

Goal: Henry 62 pen.