SWIFTS 0, REDDITCH 4

TWO goals in the opening 10 minutes swept aside Stourport Swifts on New Year's Day as Redditch tightened their grip on the Dr Martens Western Division title.

By the end of their 4-0 win, Redditch had opened up a 12-point lead on the chasing pack and from this display at Walshes Meadow it was clear to see how.

With a minute gone, Matty Hall sent a free-kick inches over the bar but this hardly seemed to matter when former Stourport favourite Alex Cowley placed his shot into the bottom corner of Lee Evans' goal 90 seconds later.

Richard Burgess planted a shot into the same spot, obviously a troublesome area for the Swifts keeper, on 10 minutes before sending another effort just the wrong side of the post.

Kerry Giddings and Nathan Jukes fired over the Redditch bar but the visitors went closest to adding to the scoreline before the break.

Stourport-based Burgess broke free only to see his shot blocked by the keeper's legs and the ball then looped up over the crossbar.

Evans was forced into a fine finger-tip save to keep out a Cowley effort at the start of the second period before the home side were denied a way back into the game.

Giddings lofted an effort over keeper Richard Anstiss only for his shot to come back off the bar.

Any hopes Swifts had of building on that near miss were soon forgotten though as Redditch scored a third 10 minutes into the half.

A quick break down the right saw Hall find the impressive Burgess in the area and the former Bromsgrove Rovers striker fired home.

Stourport still pushed for an opening with the tireless Andy Wright twice going close before sub Mark A Jones skirted around the keeper only to fire over.

Midway through the half, a run from midfield took Craig Webb through two challenges but his final shot grazed the top of the bar.

And Redditch rounded off the scoring two minutes from the end when the unmarked Martin Myers slotted home.

SWIFTS: Evans 5, Mark Jones 5, Ulfig 6, Cotterill 5, Powell 7, Harris 5 (Hayward 59, 6), Jukes 6, Giddings 6 (Mark A Jones 59, 5), WRIGHT 8, Webb 6, Dunn 5 (Titterton 83). Subs not used: Mulders, Price

STAR MAN: Andy Wright.

ATTENDANCE: 296.