Stourport Swifts

A vital 1-0 win at Burnham last weekend continued the Walshes Meadow men's recent revival and lifted them above Dunstable and away from the danger zone.

Rencher admits that Swifts position is still precarious, with Dunstable due to play dead-and-buried bottom-club Thame next week.

But he hopes the psychological boost of being above the relegation cut-off line will inspire Stourport to safety.

"It gives us a real chance now," said Rencher, who took over following Dave Titterton's departure midway through the campaign.

"We need two or three more wins to get out of it completely and in the last three games we haven't conceded so we're getting there.

"I just hope we haven't left it too late because we've dropped some stupid points along the way against the lijes of Willenhall and Leighton."

The manager hopes that his team's luck has finally changed after admitting that they have not had the rub of the green very often during his reign so far.

"I get the feeling that things are turning for us and instead of conceding late goals we're scoring them," he said.

"We always work hard and do our best but sometimes you need a little bit more than that, you need the fates to be smiling on you."

Rencher has praised the impact of defender Lee Knight who has made Swifts a much harder proposition to score against since his arrival last month.

The former Redditch centre-half's experience has been a vital component in the club's improved form of late, insists the manager.

"He's a former West Bromwich Albion reserve team player and he's got loads of non-league experience," said Rencher.

"He's 27 now, he wants to settle down and he's happy to be here.

"He's a real snotter, a big, tall, strong lad who gets in people's faces.

"We know he's lacking half a yard because he's not quite fit but it's great having someone who's been there and done it alongside some of our kids."

With the likes of Knight on board, Rencher is confident Swifts can make an assault on the top six next season - providing they stave off the threat of relegation.

"If we can get out of this mess me and my assistant Jake Findlay are confident of taking this club further than it's ever been before," he said.

"The squad we've assembled now are much better than a side scrapping to stay up.

"We've got some great lads here now, everybody is upbeat and the atmosphere around the place is good.

"We've given ourselves a great chance of staying up and now it's just a case of keeping our eye on the ball, making sure we get the job done and then building for the future."

The positive vibes were certainly evident after Saturday's narrow victory over Burnham.

Just when Swifts players looked set to swap their Beaconsfield and Marlow maps with route plans to Oadby and Coalville, Rencher's side clambered out of the relegation places.

A Shaun Findlay goal four minutes from time secured the three vital points, the midfielder breaking clear before taking the ball around home keeper Jamie Jackson to score.

Both sides had chances to open the scoring earlier on with Stourport's teenage keeper Tony Breeden doing well on his debut to deny Ryan Williams and Riccardo Cannon while Swifts' Craig Jenkins saw his header hit the crossbar just before the break.

The visitors, who also had former Cheltenham Town singer Lee Williams making his debut, grew in confidence as the game wore on and Richard Burgess brought a fine save from the Burnham keeper.

It looked like finishing goalless until Findlay grabbed the win with his last gasp goal to give Stourport the perfect build-up ahead of this weekend's Walshes Meadow clash with promotion hopefuls Ashford Town.

Swifts: BREEDEN 8, Byrne 7, Robinson 7, Knight 7, Jenkins 6, Webb 7, Hands 6 (Farley 90), Findlay 7, Pountney 6 (Marshall 67, 6), Burgess 6 (Rencher 89), Williams 7. Subs (not used): Malings, Paskin.

Stourport have five league games left to play with the prospect of a winner-takes-all survival clash against Dunstable on the final day of the season.

They play host to high-flying Ashford on Saturday.