CIRENCESTER'S Western Division title hopes were dealt a massive blow after a wind-swept 1-0 defeat to Halesowen at the Corinium Stadium.

The vital showdown was turned into a lottery by the gale-force gusts and it was the Midlanders who struck lucky as Simon Hollis' speculative first-half strike handed the championship initiative to leaders Redditch.

Halesowen should have taken the lead inside 60 seconds when Simon Forsdick beat the offside trap but with only Paul Thompson to beat he shot wide.

The ultimately decisive breakthrough arrived in the ninth minute as Forsdick and Hollis combined with a short corner and the latter's wind assisted angled shot found the far corner of the net.

Ciren could have levelled from the restart when Shaun Wimble split the Halesowen defence and Gareth Hopkins dragged a shot wide from 10 yards.

Thompson then produced two smart stops to deny Nathan Lamey before the break.

The Centurions came out after the interval with renewed verve.

Scott Griffin's powerful shot was parried for a corner by keeper Mark Shiels and Gary Wotton's header was inches over the bar.

Another Griffin blockbuster was again parried by Shiels and Mike Davis' 30-yarder dipped just over the bar.

But the visitors held out to claim the double over Brian Hughes' men.

Halesowen's win lifts them to third, level on 60 points with second-placed Ciren.

Leaders Redditch were 4-0 winners over Yate to stretch their lead at the top to 10 points.

CIRENCESTER: Thompson, Davis, McEntegart, Richards, Mayo, Wotton, Robison, Wimble, Hopkins, Griffin, Jackson. Subs: Bevan, Bird, McCabe, Fraser, Fitch.

MARK COLLIER'S first game in charge at Swindon Supermarine ended in defeat as the South Marston outfit were beaten 3-1 at Bedworth.

The Collier regime had started well after Jimmy Carter picked up a pass from Dave Toomey and hit the target on 27 minutes.

The hosts, who had only scored seven times on their own patch this season prior to Saturday, hit back before half-time.

Marvin Blake made sufficient contact with Jack Cudworth's cross to restore parity.

Bedworth moved ahead just before the hour as Cudworth teed up Darren Massingham to fire beyond Tom King in the Marine goal.

Blake put the game beyond Collier's men with a late penalty after Steve Bennett handled on the line. Bennett was dismissed and Blake netted from the spot.

"Bedworth didn't beat us, the conditions did," said Collier.

"They just dealt with the conditions better than we did.

"I didn't think we played very well and I don't think you can play poorly in this league and win."

To compound Collier's misery, the new Marine boss lost Alan Young (head wound) and Nathan Edwards (back) to injury and both face long lay-offs.

SUPERMARINE: King, Blastland, Copp, Davies, Toomey, Bennett, Edwards, Harris, Young, Miller, Carter. Subs: Futcher, Matthews, Gilovicz, Collier.