JAMES Wood showed he is more than capable of stepping up in class as Stourport Swifts' new striker produced an excellent performance.

Wood, who won the Midland Alliance golden boot with Oldbury last term, led the front-line well and hit the equaliser to spare Swifts' blushes in this landlords versus tenants affair on Tuesday night.

The game started slowly, with the first chance not coming until 17 minutes when Westfields keeper Mark Hopkins flapped at a long ball lofted into the box from Wood. The ball fell to Alex Kilgour who tried a lob, but the ball went just over.

Good work, again from Wood, five minutes later saw him set up Andy Wright whose shot was blocked on the line.

Swifts were now playing some good football and a sweeping move almost saw them take the lead when a long diagonal ball from Craig Webb found John Cotterill on the left. He cut it inside for Wood who turned and forced a great save from Hopkins.

But after being on the receiving end for so long, it was Westfelds who went in one-up when a long shot from Roy Jordan was helped into the net by Derek Craddock.

Eight minutes after the break, Wood forced the equaliser when he picked up a cross from Mark Jones in the box to see his shot well saved by Hopkins, but the rebound came out to him and he smashed it home.

Swifts started to dominate after this, with a John Shirley header hitting the bar, although Westfields' defence generally coped well.

SWIFTS: Evans, Cotterill, Ulfig, Newall, Davies, Webb (M Jones 45), Shirley, Sayer, Wright (Hawkes 45), Wood (Giddings 60), Kilgour. Sub not used: Harris.