A brace of goals from Ollie Latchford was just enough to see West Mids take all three points and go above Bolehall on goal difference.

On 15 minutes, Darren Carmell in the Police goal had to go full stretch to save a Neil Bennett free kick. Police went ahead on 20 minutes when a Lyndon Reeves back pass was miss-kicked by Swifts keeper Pete Dye and Latchford nipped in to drive the ball home from 15 yards.

Police went close on 31 minutes when Lee Wharmby dispossessed a defender and set up Gavin Smith who chipped just over the bar. Swifts responded straight away and from a mis-hit Paul Webb clearance, Lee James fired just wide. Five minutes before half time, Carmell was again the Police hero, racing off his line to save at the feet of James who had broke clear.

The second half started off like the first, end to end. For Swifts, a Reeves cross flew across the face of goal evading forwards and defenders. Then, for West Mids, Andy Reece ran through from the half way line and drove wide from 25 yards. Then, a deep Paul Webb cross was punched off the head of Police striker Dave Blake by keeper Dye. Then Police keeper Carmell was again saving at the feet of James.

Swifts equalised on 64 minutes when a mix up in the Police defence let in Mick Chawner who slotted the ball home with a angled shot from 10 yards. Swifts then dominated the next 15 minutes but missed chances that fell to Chawner and James (twice) and then, on 78 minutes, after Paul Webb brought down Chawner in the box, Simon Meads saw his fiercely struck penalty well saved by Carmell diving to his right.

Swifts paid the penalty for squandering their chances two minutes later when a Neill Hornby throw-in to Micky Hart was touched on by Latchford who from 30 yards rifled home an unstoppable left foot shot into the bottom corner. In the last 10 minutes for Swifts, Robert Mansfield saw a close range header from a free kick bounce back off the bar.

The last chance of the game fell to West Mids when Blake made space down the right flank and pulled the ball back to Craig Littler who was just off target with a shot from the edge of the box.

Match Report by Tony 'Scoop' Pearson
West Midlands Police Football Club Press Officer