STOURPORT Swifts manager Neil Hunt believes his team are making progress in Zamaretto League Division One Midlands.

Although they were beaten 1-0 at seventh-placed Arlesey Town last weekend, Swifts have acquitted themselves well against the league’s high-fliers.

On Saturday (3pm), they host another in Burnham, who suffered their first league defeat of the season, 5-1 at the hands of Sutton Coldfield last Saturday after losing to Worcester City in the FA Trophy the previous week.

Hunt said: “We’ve played all of the top sides in the division and either got a draw or lost by a goal, which is very encouraging. It shows we’re not that far away from beating the best sides in the division.

“We have a very young side and they are still learning the game but anyone who watches us knows that the performances in the last few weeks have been good.

“With such a young team, it’s important to have the likes of Mark Benbow, Dene Wittall-Williams and Nathan Jukes in the side but the other eight players on Saturday were 21 or under.

“My main aim this season is to finish in the top half of the table and we are still on course to do that.”

Swifts, whose Red Insure Cup second round clash at Bishop’s Cleeve was postponed for the second week running on Wednesday, will be without captain Andy Jones (ribs) on Saturday.