10:32am Thursday 4th April 2013
ROD Brown believes Swifts will need 17 points from their final seven games to secure second spot in the Midland Alliance.
The Walshes Meadow outfit are still leading the rest of the pack behind table-toppers Stratford.
Monday’s 4-0 win over Tividale ensured Stourport are on their own in second, moving ahead of Bridgnorth Town, who had briefly drawn level with the Wyre Forest club after Saturday’s win over Studley.
But Town’s 0-0 draw at Ellesmere Rangers allowed Brown’s team to open up a two-point lead.
However, Swifts are set for a battle to hold onto the position they have kept for most of the campaign as a host of teams all have games in hand.
The Stourport manager believes too many matches in April could be a curse rather than a blessing, despite the season being extended to Saturday, May 4.
He said: “I think we can afford to drop four points and still take second place.
“There are a lot of teams below us with games in hand but I don’t believe they will win all of those matches because there are just so many.
“All we can do is keep picking up results and see what happens.”
Swifts turned on the style in the second-half on Monday after a goalless first period against Tividale.
Calvin Dinsley forced the opener when defender Luke Paskin headed the midfielder’s free-kick into the back of the net.
Jon Griffin slotted home from the spot after Lewis Pountney was brought down in the box by keeper Tim Beech, who escaped with a booking.
Dinsley made it 3-0 with a low 20-yard effort, before Pountney bagged is 21st of the season.
The hitman is third in the league’s goal-scoring charts with Griffin topping it on 23.
Brown added: “We’ve got two of the division’s top goal-scorers but we’re only second in the table.
“I think that suggests the area we need to work on.
“But as I have said, I believe we will keep this season’s squad and with a few additions we’ll be stronger.
“The budget is not the biggest but it will be maintained for next season, which means we can build.”
Swifts go to Tipton Town on Saturday (3pm ko) and Highgate United on Tuesday (7.45pm ko).
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