Kingswinford 4,

Pershore 1

RELEGATED Kingswinford gave Pershore a taste of the difference in class between divisions in this Coaching Solutions West Midlands Division Two clash.

The home side were simply too quick, too determined and too well organised and finished the game with a comfortable margin of victory.

It could have been very different had Rob Curley found the net from three yards out with just the keeper to beat after a cutting move down Pershore's right wing.

Moments later a Kingswinford cross from the right was half-stopped by Graeme Rushin, turning the ball into the path of the home attacker who guided the ball past Stuart White.

The second half stretched both teams; Pershore dominated the opening 15 minutes with Garth Ruston unable to connect properly with three excellent chances.

Against the run of play, Kingswinford doubled their lead, effectively killing the contest and a third soon followed. Ruston snatched one back for the visitors after good work by James Hughes but even that positive note was short lived as the home striker rounded off the game with a fourth.

Aston University 1,

Pershore Sunday 4

THIS re-arranged fixture looked like a real test of character. Already depleted by the loss of Andy Tayler to injury and two other unavailabilities, the travelling team had unfamiliar and inexperienced feel.

Early exchanges were balanced; Andy Emsley deputised well at right back and Russell Scudamore's pace caused havoc in the Aston defence. Even so, it was two old stalwarts who broke the deadlock, when a loose bouncing ball in the Aston D was volleyed towards goal by Toby Whiting and helped the final few inches by captain Garth Ruston.

Aston weathered the next ten minutes then scored the goal of the game when their centre half was fed at the top of the D and, running to his left, unleashed a reverse stick sweep into the top corner. This time it was the youngsters on the Pershore side who responded. Ben Wright placed an inch-perfect clearance from the back straight to Anthony Handley on the right wing, who outran his markers and finished at the far post.

Wright then set up Whiting in the D to beat the keeper and Handley stuck out a stick at the resulting shot, deflecting it away from the covering defender as it crossed the line. Two harsh yellow cards for Aston players removed any chance of a comeback and when James Hughes was floored in the area Rob Curley pounced to wrap up the points for Pershore.