HOCKEY: Stourport will be thankful there is no planned relegation from National League Division One this season if they keep producing displays like Sunday's.

The town lost 2-1 at fellow strugglers Nottingham who they had beaten in the first half of the season but remain third-from-bottom and level on points with Southgate.

Though Stourport will need a marked improvement in performance to avoid propping up the division, there is fortunately no drop zone due to restructuring of the league.

Experienced Mark Harradine was drafted up from the seconds for the weekend as Stourport were without injured left-half Dave Tuckett-Good.

The visitors started brightly by creating numerous chances in the first 15 minutes but the keeper made good saves from Phil Lashford and Matt Ruxton.

Dominant midfielder Mark Moss quickly set up attacks after winning the ball and Harradine slotted into the team perfectly to provide a good balance between defence and attack down the left.

Stourport's pressure was eventually converted into a goal when top scorer Lashford diverted an Irfan Yousaf cross past the committed keeper on 15 minutes.

But the goal sparked Nottingham into life and they equalised in the next minute through Tristan Gilbody in one of their first attacks.

It got worse for Stourport when Harradine tore a hamstring which could spell the end of his season and forced them to reorganise.

Stu Hendy had to make a great double save to deny Nottingham and then an over-zealous umpire awarded a short corner as Nottingham were about to score.

Stourport put in their most disappointing display for a while during the second period, despite numerous short-corner chances for Imran Yousaf along with open-play efforts from Lashford and Ruxton.

They became more frustrated as the game went on and capitulated when Rob Kilpatrick scored from close range after an attacker had evaded four tackles.

It was no less than Nottingham deserved after winning numerous short corners and absorbing pressure through the game.

Claims for a Stourport penalty stroke were turned down and they were unable to find an equaliser in an ill-tempered last 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, Kate Bailey's five goals led Stourport Ladies to a landslide 11-0 victory over Badsey in Worcestershire League Division One.

Stourport ran riot with Melissa Kennedy's hat-trick added to strikes from Louise Deeman and Holly Lashford adding to Badsey's woes.

Bailey opened her account in the second minute and Kennedy finished off a well-worked goal soon after.

Stourport turned the screw with Bailey's second after she beat four Badsey players and she completed her hat-trick with help from Fran Long, Vicky Whitehouse and Katie Clowes.

Hard work by Kerry Walker found Kennedy for her second of the match and Bailey finished off Whitehouse's pass to make the interval score 6-0.

Camped in Badsey's half, Stourport gained several short-corners which provided Lashford with a goal and then Deeman piled on the agony for Badsey.

Lashford benefited from good play by Alison Leeke and Kerry Maughan to smash home the ninth goal before Kennedy completed her triple strike with a superb individual goal.

Bailey completed a fine display and their most convincing win with her fifth of the day.

Bournville 2 Stourport 2nds 5

Teri Baron scored a hat-trick as the seconds powered back to winning ways in Worcestershire League Division Two against promotion rivals.

Bournville were first to score but Baron equalised from a penalty corner and Jess Trundle added a second goal just before the break.

Karen McIntyre and Baron added goals from penalty corners but they then lost Emma Bailey and Claire Burrows through injury.

Though Baron grabbed her third goal, the home side scored another against depleted Stourport.

Stourport 3rds 1 Harborne 1

Georgina Burns was the lone Stourport scorer on a snowy pitch in Worcestershire League Division Three against the leaders.

Harborne took the lead within 10 minutes of the second half when Stourport failed to clear from a short-corner.

But Burns forced the ball over the line in a goal-mouth scramble for the equaliser and keeper Isobel Rosie was in fine form at the other end.

Bournville 6 Stourport 4ths 0

The fourths kept their hosts out for the opening 10 minutes but then conceded three goals before the break.

Wilma Martin's passing and Kara Sunburk's attacking tested Bournville but they excelled from short corners and added three more goals.

Fixtures, Saturday, Men: Stourport 1sts v Belper (12.30pm); Ladies: Droitwich v Stourport 1sts (noon), 2nds v Droitwich (2.30pm), Bournville v 3rds (3.30pm).