Lichfield City FC came within a whisker of completing an incredible recovery at Heather St John’s.

Boss Gary Birch added another new face to his starting line-up in the shape of Joe Haines, but the City boss still saw his side go into half-time a goal down after a strike from Leigh Phillips.

Any hopes of a second half leveller were soon extinguished as the hosts netted three times to make it 4-0 – a scoreline making a mockery of Heather’s position one place off the foot of the Midland Football League Division One table.

But the humbling scoreline stirred Lichfield into action as Mark Rose pulled a goal back.

A penalty then allowed Dan McLeod to make it 4-2, before a third City goal gave Birch’s men hope of an incredible comeback.

Rose went close to netting a memorable leveller, but Lichfield failed to find the crucial leveller.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.