Boldmere St Michaels 1, Stourport Swifts 1

STOURPORT had to settle for a point against a Boldmere side reduced to ten men midway through the second half of this top of the table clash.

The visitors were grateful to keeper Brendan Bunn early on when he kept out a Chris Gummery effort.

And they responded by taking the lead ten minutes before the break, John Griffin heading an Ashley Parsons-Smith cross past keeper Adam Jenkins.

Swifts had chances to add to their tally and the best of these came early in the second half when both Griffin and strike partner Lewis Pountney had efforts blocked in a goalmouth scramble.

There was also a close escape at the other end when, on the hour, a free-kick was headed goalwards by Matt Hunt only for Stourport’s Paul Hurrell to clear off the line.

The visitors were given an extra boost on 68 minutes when Boldmere had Keenan Meakin-Richards sent off after he picked up a second booking.

But Swifts failed to see the game out and it was the ten-man hosts who finished the stronger as they searched for an equaliser to keep the pressure on the top two.

With ten minutes to go, the ball was worked to Kieran Clarke and the striker drilled the ball beyond keeper Bunn.

Swifts: B BUNN 8, Hurrell 8 (Maund 71), Spencer 7, Briscoe 7, Willets 7, Waldron 6, Parsons-Smith 7, Fellows 6, Pountney 7, Griffin 7, Hyde 7 (R Bunn 86). Subs (not used): Lemon, Morris, Lavery