SWIFTS 1 STUDLEY 3

AN IMPROVED second-half display nearly saved Stourport Swifts in Wednesday's friendly but they eventually slipped to a disappointing home defeat.

Swifts were only denied by teenage substitute keeper Paul Maynard who pulled off a string of saves as the home side streamed forward in the final 45 minutes.

Centre-back Dave Davies could have had a hat-trick alone but Dave Titterton's men in the end paid for a poor showing in the first period when they fell two goals behind.

Midland Alliance high-fliers Studley looked a good outfit and their midfield included Mark Beddowes who is yet to decide whether to stay with them or take on more travelling to join Swifts.

The visitors went ahead on eight minutes when Craig Poutney's low 20-yard free-kick shot underneath the wall and keeper Lee Evans could only help the ball into the bottom corner of his net.

Swifts had earlier threatened first when Danny Lewis spilled a John Cotterill cross but the ball struck Richard Ball before he could react and bounced wide of the post.

The classy Poutney, one of the Alliance's top strikers, forced Evans into a diving save with an ambitious long-range volley and then Adam Blake struck the bar on 16 minutes with another impressive effort.

Stourport just could not get going and Evans saved with his feet from Junior Hewitt before he had to leave the field with a hand injury on 29 minutes.

His replacement, Tom Stewart, had a nightmare start when he fumbled the ball and allowed Steve Cross a simple tap-in six minutes later.

Stewart saved from Poutney after the interval but then conceded a third on 53 minutes as the same player's in-swinging corner drifted over everybody and went in off the far post.

It gave Swifts a real wake-up call and they dominated the rest of the match only to find Maynard in inspired form.

The young keeper tipped over summer signing Mark Jones's fine strike from the edge of the box before a Davies header struck team-mate Ball as it headed goalwards.

Steve Ulfig sent an unmarked header over the bar on 62 minutes and Maynard parried well from Ball who had been released by Ronnie Sayer.

A blistering drive from Davies was blocked by the keeper and lively sub James Wood was also crowded out from the rebound on 82 minutes.

Maynard then made an even better close-range stop from Davies who hit the post soon after from an acute angle following Wood's good low cross.

Swifts did not find the net until the final minute when last season's top scorer Ball tucked home Jones's cross for his fourth goal in two friendlies.

Jones, Ulfig, Sayer and replacement Craig Webb were all given their first friendly action since returning from holiday but Titterton's side will need to step up their displays.

SWIFTS: Evans (Stewart 29); Davies, Newall (Mulders 67), Ulfig (Kilgour 67); Jones, Giddings, Harris (Webb 56), Sayer, Cotterill (Robinson 56); Ball, Wright (Wood 56).