HOCKEY: There were plenty of questions left unanswered after Stourport's pre-season spluttered to an end with a mixed bag of results.

Stourport start their National League Division One campaign on Sunday (1pm) at Bristol side Firebrands but are yet to assemble their entire squad.

Owen Brotherton has not checked in and it is unclear whether he will start in the league side.

But the town are boosted by the late arrival of Dave Tuckett-Good who goes straight into the reckoning after Saturday's warm-up against Midlands League Worcester Norton.

Stourport bludgeoned out a close encounter with their local rivals, eventually running out winners by the odd goal in five.

They were grateful to three short-corner strikes by Imran Yousaf.

Both teams had their good spells but Stourport edged it on quality of possession with the Yousaf brothers dominating midfield.

They will be disappointed not to have scored from open play but will take some satisfaction from the result.

However, it is hoped Stourport can step up several more gears when facing Firebrands.

The entire first team squad was assembled in the penultimate friendly to look at all the options available to new coach, Yousaf, who still has not settled upon his first-choice side.

The knock-on effects resounded down the order as the lack of strength in depth compounded by yet more unavailabilities told in a number of defeats.

Many were against what would once have been considered weaker opposition.

Coventry and North Warwicks 10

Stourport 2nds 4

Stourport seconds were thrashed for the second time in two weeks and only fielded 10 players at last season's Midlands Premier Division runners-up.

Without Ian Roberts who failed to turn up, they arrived late and started with no preparation.

The town still took the lead through a David Knott short-corner but the good start could not be maintained.

Coventry led 5-2 at half-time with Knott grabbing a second for the visitors.

Ben Moulam closed the lead with two excellent finishes but as Stourport tired Coventry fired home five unanswered goals.

It meant a once respected Stourport side had conceded 18 goals in two matches against warm-up opposition.

They have changed their captain and face a step up in opposition, facing Beeston in the first league game.

Stourport 3rds 1 Worcester Norton 2nds 4

With only two senior players on offer, the thirds showed great promise with Ben Everett-Li's goal capping off the club's best individual start to the season.

Meanwhile, other results saw a Gareth Pritchard strike give Stourport fourths a 1-0 win over Worcester.

The fifths lost 3-1 despite a good display but the sixths had the result of the day with a 4-2 win, scoring all their goals in the final 20 minutes.