Stourport Swifts 2, Lye Town 1

A BRILLIANT 30-yard strike from Calvin Dinsley helped steer Swifts through the opening round of the Midland League Premier Cup.

The midfielder collected the ball from wing-back Ben Maund, took two touches and let fly with a ferocious shot that soared into the top left-hand corner.

The goal doubled Stourport’s advantage and proved vital as the visitors hauled their way back into the game thanks to a late onslaught.

It took just three minutes for John Griffin to open the scoring for Swifts, strolling through a dozing Lye defence to latch on to Dinsley’s through ball and then rounding keeper Damien Stevens.

Chances were then limited for the remainder of the half, Paul Hurrell directing a header at the Lye keeper moments before Stourport’s Brendan Bunn saved a Matt Johnson shot with ease.

Dinsley’s decider came on 54 minutes and there could have been a third on the hour when his free-kick picked out Jamie Willets but his header lacked direction.

The arrival of substitutes Reece Shilvock, Tom Overfield and Mark Danks injected some urgency into the visitors and they reduced the arrears with 11 minutes to go when Damien Whitcombe headed home from an Overfield free-kick.

Ricky Anslow then dragged an effort across the face of the Swifts goal before Stourport skipper Michael Briscoe headed another Overfield free-kick just over his own goal to deny Lye a last minute equaliser.

Swifts: Bunn 6, Parsons-Smith 7 (Morris 73), Willets 8, Briscoe 8, Khan 7 (Fellows 68, 6), Hyde 7, DINSLEY 9, Hurrell 6, Lemon 6 (Pountney 68, 6), Griffin 7, Maund 6,