STOURPORT Swifts boss Rod Brown wants to keep his youthful squad together so they can launch another assault on the Midland Alliance.

Brown believes with a few new additions to bolster numbers, the current crop will be good enough for push for the title.

They are currently on a good run of form and have risen to eighth in the table despite a slow start to the campaign.

“If I can keep this group together and add two or three more quality players we’ll be very strong next season,” said Brown.

“I am not sure they realise how good they are as a team. I want them all to stay because we’ll be better next season.

“We’ve suffered a bit because we’ve been without strikers at certain times but they are playing very well.

“The back three of Michael Briscoe, Dan Parker and Jamie Willetts and wing backs Jordan Jones and Jamie Hyde are playing exceptionally well.”

Swifts bounced back from Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Coleshill with a 2-1 victory over Walsall Wood on Tuesday night.

John Griffin and Jones hit the back of the net, while the Black Country side pulled back a late effort.

Brown was full of praise for striker Lewis Pountney, who hit the target against Coleshill.

The hitman has scored three goals in five games after returning from a lengthy injury lay-off.

The manager said: “Lewis is trying to get match fit by playing which isn’t easy.

“He doesn’t have the benefit of a pre-season and you can tell because he’s not quite there in terms of sharpness but he’s working really hard.”

Stourport go to struggling Heath Hayes on Saturday (3pm ko) and then entertain fifth-placed Highgate United on Tuesday (7.45pm ko).

Next season the Alliance is combining with the Midland Combination to form a Midlands League.