STOURPORT Hockey Club are joint bottom of the National Hockey League Premier Two table after their dismal start to the season continued with a second successive setback.

Phil Lashford's men followed up their 3-2 opening day defeat to East Grinstead with a disappointing 2-1 reverse at Nottingham on Sunday.

Stourport failed to compete with their physical opponents and were all too often knocked off the ball as their opponets got the better of the 50-50s.

Nottingham enjoyed the bulk of early possession and took advantage of Stourport's tentativeness with Tristan Gilbody scoring a scrappy seventh minute goal from six yards out after an overlap down the left wing.

Stourport did settle down and started to play some more assured hockey but neither side created clear chances as the game was played out predominantly in the midfield.

Nottingham always looked dangerous and a sortie into the 'D' from their captain Guy Gisbourne saw his 30th minute shot from a tight angle fly past Stu Hendy into the top left hand corner - an effort the Stourport keeper would normally have expected to save.

After the break, Stourport enjoyed the bulk of possession but were frustrated by the hosts breaking-up play. And while this was not picked up by the umpires, Stourport were reduced to 10 men Mark Edwards was yellow carded for an innocuous stick tackle in the middle of the pitch.

Despite the numerical disadvantage Stourport kept up the pressure and Lashford, Moss, Mauger and Irfan Yousaf all brought saves from the keeper. Imran Yousaf's 70th minute short corner eventually yielded a goal but it was the last hit of the game.

Stourport are involved in a basement battle with Doncaster at Stourport Sports Club on Sunday with both clubs point-less and rooted to the foot of the table.

Goals by Fran Long, Holly Lashford and Alissa Elford saw Stourport Hockey Club Ladies first team to a 3-1 home victory over Tenbury in their Worceste-rshire First Division match.

Long opened the scoring with only a minute and a half on the clock, but this was the only first half score, and Tenbury drew level soon after the re-start.

However, Stourport forced the pace and Lashford's strike into the right-hand corner was followed by a flick into the top corner by Elford, effectively ending the Tenbury challenge.

Stourport Ladies thirds again won away, beating Harborne fourths 1-0, thanks to a fifth minute goal by Teri Baron in Worcestershire Division Three fixture.

Stourport Ladies fourths, were out-played by Worcester in their Worcestershire Division Three match, their visitors wining 9-0.

Fixtures, Saturday: Stourport Ladies 1st v Worcester 2nds (2.30pm), Harborne 3rd v Stourport Ladies 2nds (11am), Upton v Stourport Ladies 3rd, Stourport Ladies 4th v Pickwick 2nds (12.30pm).