SIX games into the new campaign, Stockbridge are still without a league win. But, if Saturday's game was anything to go by, that first victory must be just around the corner.

Stocks and Horndean served up a decent match on an unseasonally warm afternoon. Much of the play was confined to the midfield third, and the only difference between the sides was in front of goal. Horndean's strikers were marginally the sharper, and it was they who duly pocketed the points.

The opening goal, after 27 minutes play, came as something of a surprise as up until then there had been few chances. Steve Warwick was the man to put the visitors ahead, running on to a defence-splitting pass and scuffing his shot into the bottom corner of goal under pressure from Dean Savage.

Stocks equalised a minute or two after half-time. Mark Vowles evaded the offisde trap, shook off Rob Warwick's tackle and slotted the ball under advancing keeper Darren Healey.

A draw would probably have been a fair result, but Horndean pinched all three points when Ashley Howard ran on to a Hugh Skilling pass and beat Dan de Heaume with a skilful lob from an acute angle.

After that, Stocks created most of the chances but the visitors somehow held on; theysurvived a prolonged goalmouth scramble, instigated by a Mark Butcher corner, by the skin of their teeth.

The result underlined Stockbridge's need for improvement in the striking department, but if they can solve that problem they should be able to settle down to a good, steady season.