A PRE-SEASON that offered so much has manifested itself into back-to-back defeats for Stourport Swifts.

But manager Roy Rencher will have seen enough good work from his side to stop him reaching for the panic button just yet.

The Walshes Meadow side battled back from a shaky start in their opener with Spalding United without getting anything from the game and were then kept at bay by the dazzling exploits of Cinderford Town's keeper on Tuesday night.

Swifts 0 Spalding 1

Swifts opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of league newcomers Spalding, and soon found themselves under attack with the nippy Ben Garrick rattling the Stourport upright after just four minutes.

Keeper Paul Fryer, one of a string of new signings to make their debut in this game, then pulled off a good save to deny Garrick on 36 minutes as the visitors exploited a lack of pace in the Swifts back three.

Rencher's side looked a little more composed after the break but still fell behind on 65 minutes when Hargreaves broke from midfield and drilled home an unstoppable 25-yard effort.

For all the play Swifts had in the second period, they rarely managed to trouble the visitors' goal.

"We played very good football at times against Spalding but we didn't deserve anything out of the game because we didn't create anything," said Rencher.

Cinderford 3 Swifts 1

But Stourport appeared to learn from their mistakes in midweek when they set about their hosts right from the whistle.

Kevin Brookes went close with a diving header and Andy Hodgetts was denied by a save from former Worcester City keeper Lewis Skyers.

The breakthrough came on 15 minutes when Brookes turned home the loose ball after Skyers had done well to keep out Hodgetts and Matty Webb.

Brookes and Shaun Findlay would have added to the scoreline had it not been for the Cinderford keeper who kept the home side in touch.

And his exploits were rewarded when player-manager Chris Burns levelled with a fierce eight-yard shot on the stroke of half-time.

The second period belonged to the home side and two goals from striker Richard Kear handed them what was ultimately a 3-1 win.

The final minutes saw Kear rattle the crossbar in his search for a hat-trick while Jon Crowford was sent off after lashing out at Stourport's Matty Webb.

"It was a complete joke, we should have had four goals by half time but we just didn't take our chances and then we left ourselves wide open chasing the game."

Swifts (v Spalding): Fryer 6, C Webb 7, Robinson 6, Knight 6, Colwell 6, M Webb 5, Jackson 5, FINDLAY 7, Hodgetts 6 (Burgess 65, 6), Brookes 6, Taylor 6 (Byrne 65, 6). Subs (not used): Graham, Wooley, Byrne.

Swifts (v Cinderford): Fryer 5, C Webb 6, Robinson 6, Knight 5, Colwell 7, M Webb 6, Jackson 6, Findlay 6, Hodgetts 5 (Burgess 64, 5), BROOKES 7, Taylor 5 (Swann 77). Subs (not used): Graham, Wooley, Marshall .

Rencher admits Swifts' dreadful start has knocked the stuffing out of him after high hopes going into the new season.

"I was expecting a lot from us this season and I still am but at the moment it's all doom and gloom for me and I'm struggling for anything positive to say.

"I know I've got a better set of players than last season and I know we won't struggle like we did, but we need to start proving it sooner rather than later."