Last gasp leveller saves Swifts
Selston 3 Stourport Swifts 3 MPL Sat 12th October Att: 76
A stunning right foot drive from Joe Billingham saved a late point for Stourport Swifts at lowly Selston last week.
After taking an early lead after just five minutes when Mark Danks fired in Nick MacPherson’s cross from six yards out, Swifts found themselves 2-1 then 3-2 down with twenty minutes to play.
Swifts failed to make their first half possession pay, and after some good approach work saw Danks and Jim Hanson both fail to add to their goal tally, Carl Moore fired in off the post to level for Selston before the break. Billingham’s shot was well saved by Warren Squires in the Selston goal, and MacPherson turned a good cross from Joe Hanson just wide, but the home side made Swifts pay for their wasted chances when Jack Havron volleyed past Richards thanks to a fortunate deflection to make it 2-1 . Swifts were level again when Jack Downing jinked past two defenders on the right and crossed low for Danks to drive in for his second at the far post.
Downing hit the bar after Selston failed to clear, but on 78 minutes they were back in front when Carl Moore shot low past Richards from the edge of the box.
It looked all over for the Swifts until with two minutes to go Jamie Clarke crossed low from the left and Billingham blasted an unstoppable rising angled shot past Squires to level again.
SWIFTS: Richards, Joe Hanson, Fulloway, Matt Hanson, Platt, Jim Hanson, Slevin, Billingham, Downing, MacPherson, Danks, . SUBS USED: Espley, Lees, Clarke
SWIFTS are at home to Highgate United on Saturday, kick off 3.00pm
Swifts dig deep for a win
Stourport Swifts 2 Newark Flowserve 0 MPL Sat 5th October Att: 80
Stourport Swifts bounced back from their recent run of poor form to take a battling win against 4th placed Newark.
While still missing Drew Canavan, Dom Richards and Jamie Clarke, Swifts produced a performance of grit and determination to grind out a two goal win to end Newark’s 5 match unbeaten run.
Swifts weathered an early storm in which both Sol Miller and Tyrell Shannon-Lewis both tested keeper Ryan Smith in the opening 15 minutes, before Jack Downing set up Joe Billingham who shot wide, and Nick MacPherson his header cleared off the line by defender Mitchell Robinson. After 36 minutes Downing outpaced the Newark back line but shot tamely wide, then Newark twice missed chances to go in front when Miller and then Danny Meadows both failed to test Smith from close range.
Swifts broke the deadlock five minutes after half time when Downing, chasing a lost cause, blocked keeper Joe Searson-Smithard’s clearance attempt, which set up Joe Billingham to follow up and drive in from ten yards .
Falling behind prompted an immediate response, and Newark could easily have levelled after some fierce pressure when Miller blazed over from 8 yards out when looking certain to score, and James Timmins threw himself bravely in to block a goalbound effort from Kyle Dixon. Skipper Matt Fulloway held a creaking Swifts back line together with some solid defending, and on a rare Swifts attack with 12 minutes left, Lawrence Gorman was judged to have pulled down Macpherson in the box, and Downing stepped up to fire low into the bottom corner from the spot. Newark saw Mitchell Robinson dismissed for a second yellow for one foul too many on Downing with five minutes left and Swifts held out for a well earned three points.
SWIFTS: Smith, Joe Hanson, Fulloway, Timmins, Platt, Jim Hanson, Slevin, Lewis Clarke, Billingham, MacPherson, Downing. SUBS USED: Phillips, Lees, Espley
STOURPORT SWIFTS - Club Officials
President : VACANT
Chairman: Pip Hanson 07966 644762
Treasurer: Pip Hanson
Secretary: Graham Haighway 07780 997758 email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Commercial Manager: Nigel Wager 07912 890997
Press Officer: Ian Johnson 07970 237758 email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Committee Members: Ian Sword, Margaret Sword, Laura McDonald, Brian Hewitt, Tony Lavery, Stuart Adey, Paul Reynolds, Mark Wenham, Claire Beard, Mark Beard
Life Members: Ian Sword,Sylvia McDonald
Team Manager : Quentin Townsend
Assistant Manager: Mark Danks
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