FRUSTRATED Stourport Swifts manager Rod Brown has demanded a response from his players after they were hammered by Highgate United.

The Walshes Meadow outfit crashed out of Worcestershire Senior Urn after being thoroughly outplayed by their opponents from Birmingham.

Nathan Edgington, Lei Brown, Liam O’Shea, Martin Crawford and Nathan Edgington sealed Swifts’ biggest loss of the season.

Brown now wants his side to bounce back when they go to struggling Heath Hayes on Saturday (3pm ko).

He said: “I must say that Highgate were one of the best sides we have played all season.

“They played with so much pace and showed fantastic desire and work rate and we couldn’t cope with them.

“But we didn’t play well, we didn’t move the ball quick enough or work hard enough.

“I warned the players about complacency against a side from a level below but it was only last season they were in the same division as us.”

Even more frustrating for Swifts is the fact that they had earned a battling draw against Midland Premier leaders Long Eaton United on Saturday, with John Griffin scoring a deserved leveller.

Brown added: “It is massively frustrating to be honest.

“We played really well against Long Eaton and the players had nothing left to give at the end of the game.

“Perhaps that had an affect on Tuesday but there are no excuses.”

Swifts suffered another setback last week when striker Matt Gardner opted to join Bromsgrove Sporting instead of Stourport.

The forward bagged 26 goals for Causeway United and Hinckley.

The manager said: “I have known Matty for years. He looked at the travelling and the expenses we pay and decided it wasn’t practical. We are still looking at possible targets.”

Brown said he is also hoping to link-up with Kidderminster Harriers’ Academy.