Stourport

Swifts are languising near the bottom of the Southern Football League Western Division after a difficult start to the campaign.

New boss Roy Rencher has replaced Dave Titterton in the dugout and the onus is very much on bringing through local talent.

Vaughan Little set up Stourport's youth team at the start of the season after recognsing the high standard of the under-16s age group of the Stourport and District Youth League during his time managing Burlsih Olympic's youngsters.

And backed by sponsorship from Worcester Road Motors, the Swifts youngsters are going from strength to strength.

They have started life in the Midland Floodlit Under-18s League with five wins and two defeats and currently sit third in the table.

Their form has not gone unnoticed by Rencher, former youth team boss at Sutton Coldfield Town, who has already promoted three youngsters to first team duty.

Tom Coley, Dan Sherwood and Douglas Farley have all made the step up and Swifts hope they will be the first of many.

"We're hoping to get hold of talented local youngsters and to bring them through to the first team," said Little, who used to play for Swifts himself.

"It'salready starting to work and it helps having Roy on board now because he believes if players are good enough they're old enough."

Swifts will be holding trials to select the 2006 youth team at the end of the season, when they will also set up a mini-kickers section for nine-12-year-olds.

Meanwhile, the faces may have changed but the results are alarmingly the same for Stourport's first team.

A 3-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Rushall Olympic at the weekend saw Rencher's men slump to the foot of the table.

Keeper Eric Pudaloff was the latest new arrival at Walshes Meadow but he could not stem the flood of goals being conceded.

A consolation effort from substitute Scott Layden three minutes from time did little to lift the gloom, the damage having already been done by a Rushall side containing a number of former Swifts players.

Pudaloff denied Neil Kitching in the early stages but the striker made amends by scoring the opener on 35 minutes, heading in a Tim Jackson cross from close range.

And it was Kitching who doubled the lead ten minutes into the second period to leave the home side with an uphill task.

Seconds later, Joe O'Connor added a third for Rushall following more good work from dangerman Kitching and the points were in the bag.

Stourport had chances to level prior to their visitors' two-goal blast but Richard Burgess twice failed to find the net.

On 46 minutes he broke clear only to be denied by a brave save from Pics' keeper Chris Gemmell while the striker was again denied three minutes later when Leon Allen's last ditch challenge diverted the striker's shot over the crossbar.

Swifts: Pudaloff 5, Pazskowec 6, McFarlane 5, Jenkins 5, WEBB 7, A Hughes 5, McGloughlin 6 (Layden 61, 6), Findlay 6, Smith 5 (Butler 58, 5), Burgess 6 (Usher 75), C Hughes 5. Subs (not used): Coley, Robinson.