LOWLY Cirencester Town handed out a 4-0 drubbing to a Stourport Swifts side still feeling the effects of their 3-0 midweek FA Umbro Trophy defeat by Chester City.

Player-boss Tim Langford, ruled out with a pulled hamstring, was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as the Dr Martens Western Division strugglers took control.

Swifts did have chances early on and had one of them found their way into the back of the net, it could have been the perfect antidote to the Trophy blues.

Instead, poor finishing, coupled with the quick thinking of experienced Cirencester keeper Kevin Sawyer, thwarted Langford's side.

Sawyer saved at the feet of Simon Marsh on ten minutes while Matt Southwick put an effort just wide in the 19th minute following good work by Alex Cowley and Kerry Giddings.

Giddings then put an effort wide midway through the half and missed out when one-on-one with the keeper shortly before half-time.

Cirencester had nosed ahead by then - their opener coming on 27 minutes when a Dave Gee corner was headed back into the area by Andy Woollen and David Godley was on hand to prod home.

Giddings was denied again at the start of the second half, Sawyer blocking the shot, but this was as close as Swifts came to worrying the Gloucestershire side.

Justin Miller doubled Cirencester's lead seven minutes into the second period with a chip over advancing keeper Rob Clarke.

And although Gee had an effort tipped over, Nathan Holt made it 3-0 on 61 minutes when he drilled home from 18 yards.

Miller was proving a nuisance to the Swifts defence and it was from his cross that Gary Horgan wrapped up the scoring on 71 minutes, his first-time effort giving Clarke no chance.

Substitute Ashley Read thought he had made it 5-0 only to be denied by the offside flag, while Stourport needed some last-ditch tackles from Steve Ulfig and substitute Jan Mulders to keep out the home side late on.

SWIFTS: Clarke 7, Laker 7 (A Wright 83), Ulfig 6, Southwick 6, Davies 5 (S Wright 84), T Nicholls 7, Cowley 5, A Nicholls 8, Giddings 5 (Mulders 75), Marsh 7, Charlton 7.

STAR MAN: Adam Nicholls.

ATTENDANCE: 97.