SIZZLING Stourport Swifts soared to a marvellous 5-1 FA Cup preliminary round victory over Dr Martens League Eastern Division side Rugby United.

Strikers Lee Booth and Simon Marsh shared four goals between them as Rod Brown's men set up a trip to Unibond Division One outfit Lincoln United in the next round.

But the Walshes Meadow side must overcome a defensive crisis with defenders Quentin Townsend, Steve Ulfig and Anthony Davies starting lengthy bans.

Rugby almost produced an early shock when Robbie Beard latched on to a poor Jan Mulders back-pass only to be denied by David Davies' last-gasp tackle.

And this spurred on the home side with Marsh opening the scoring with a 10th minute header from an Alex Cowley corner.

Midway through the half, Asa Charlton doubled Stourport's advantage, while Booth and Cowley both hit efforts against the woodwork as Swifts returned to form after back-to-back defeats over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Steve Padmore pulled a goal back for the visitors 10 minutes from time, racing onto a Danny Hill through-ball.

But Booth restored the home side's two-goal advantage from the penalty spot following a handball by a Rugby defender.

Swifts coasted home with two more goals in the final seven minutes, Marsh prodding home a Matt Southwick cross on 83 minutes and Booth netting from 10 yards two minutes later.

Boss Brown said: "It's still a learning curve for us. We have been starting games slowly and we improved that on Saturday but we didn't sustain it.

"The performance was a bit mixed and we should have had four or five in the first half.

"But it was a battle for a while after they came back to 2-1 though we went on to win comfortably."

And of the cup draw, he added: "If we win that round, we get £7,500 which will be good for the club.

"Lincoln play at the same level as us in Unibond League Division One."

But Brown would have preferred a home draw with his side looking good at Walshes Meadow.

Swifts: Clarke 7, Mulders 7, Charlton 8, Townsend 8, Davies 8 (Ulfig 45, 8), Shaw 8, Cowley 9 (Dunn 67, 7), Nicholls 7, Langford 7 (Southwick 83), Booth 8, Marsh 8. Subs (not used): Knight, Hackett.

STAR MAN: Alex Cowley.