Dennis a menace but Paul nicks the winner (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Dennis a menace but Paul nicks the winner

Quorn 0, Stratford Town 1

DENNIS Bailey rolled back the years to help Town record a fourth straight win on Tuesday night and maintain the club's remarkable turnaround in fortunes.

After losing their opening four Travel Factory Alliance matches, the Masons Road men have now collected maximum points from their last three and also made FA Cup progress.

The revival can be pinpointed not only to Bailey's arrival, but also the reinstatement of Wayne Starkey on goal and Ashley Pringle's presence at the back.

All three were in fine form at one of the league's early pacesetters with Bailey setting up the 37th minute winner from Paul Nicholls.

Both sides produced some quality football in what was a fine advert for the Alliance and one that saw the visitors outplay the Leicestershire side in the opening 45 minutes.

Town should have had more than the goal from Nicholls to show for their efforts and were indebted at the end to Chris Packer's goalline clearance midway through the second period.

Nicholls had a couple of early chances before strike partner Bailey dragged a shot wide of Matt Nurse's goal.

There was a couple of alarms in Starkey's six-yard area before Nicholls struck the foot of a post after being set up by clever play from Bailey.

Packer shot wide from Tom Leaver's cross before the provider should have doubled Stratford's lead when his control let him down after a mistake from centre half Ricky Nurse.

The goal Town deserved finally arrived and only Nurse's fine double stop prevented the scorer making it 2-0 when Nicholls and Nick Heath both found the target.

The hosts came out fighting after the break and Starkey turned an angled drive from the speedy Jo Jonas wide of the goal.

Jonas and Ricky Nurse were both off target from decent positions before Packer rescued the visitors after Starkey had fumbled a cross.

Quorn were still scenting an equaliser but with Pringle, in particular, in solid mood, Town withstood the onslaught and then hit back themselves in the final 15 minutes.

Packer and Phil Mortimer both tried their luck from distance before Bailey's astute vision sent Heath clear three minutes from time but the former Kidderminster man was unable to beat Quorn's last line of defence.