Second-placed Stoke Bishop deservedly beat third-in-the- table Durdham Down Adult School in a vital promotion game in Downs League Division IV.

Matthew Burman scored the opening goal and Ashley Giles doubled their lead late in the game.

Tony Berry, Stoke Bishop manager, said: "We held our shape well. We have pace up front and so we wanted to keep the ball on the floor and move it up to the strikers.

"We knew we were going to create chances. We always play a diamond formation and Tom (Fear) gave us great protection."

School had the first chance of the game when a Stoke Bishop defender headed the ball back towards his goal. Lee Mayne showed great pace to reach the ball first but his first-time effort went wide.

The miss proved a costly one as Stoke Bishop went straight up the other end and opened the scoring. Matt Greenslade picked up the ball inside the box before moving to the byline and crossing for Burman to control and fire home.

Stoke Bishop were playing the better football and produced a wonderful move midway through the first half.

Giles received the ball in the centre of the midfield 30 yards from goal and picked out Burman on the edge of the area. He flicked it to Jamie Rees, who pulled the ball back on to his right foot before shooting wide.

Greenslade had a chance to double Stoke Bishop's lead after receiving the ball in the box. He turned well and hit the ball almost in one move, but his effort flashed past the far post.

School were struggling to create chances, but they should have equalised just before half-time when Richard Hayne sent over a good low cross from the right. Craig Jefferies met the ball at the near post but Josh Yakuo made a fantastic reaction save with his left foot.

Another great chance to equalise went begging early in the second half when Mayne met a cross with a left-footed half-volley but his effort was blocked.

Stoke Bishop kept pressing and Giles almost made it 2-0, heading inches wide from a superb Chris Brady cross following a corner.

Midway through the second half, School striker Jefferies was sent off for pushing an opponent.

His departure reduced School's attacking threat even more and Stoke Bishop had a great opportunity to effectively kill off their opponents when Rees seized on a long ball upfield and played in Greenslade. He went round the keeper but took the ball too wide and played it back to Rees, whose effort was blocked by a defender.

Stoke Bishop finally wrapped up the game when Dean Ashfield sent an inch-perfect cross to the back post where Giles made no mistake.

Stoke Bishop deserved their win. They created more chances and played the better football. School used their superior physical strength well but could not compete with Stoke Bishop's pace and superior passing.

Stoke Bishop: Josh Yakuo, Ed Hall, Dan Berry, Frank Suarez, Chris Brady, Matthew Burman, Ashley Giles, Tom Fear, Dean Ashfield, Matt Greenslade, Jamie Rees. Subs Not Used: Dan Rogers.

Durdham Down Adult School: Naresh Bhalerao, Kevin Richards, John Butt, Justin Anderson, Mike Dicks (Danny Burnett 70), Manny Bhalerao, Billy McMillan, Ian Tyrer, Richard Hayne, Craig Jefferies, Lee Mayne. Subs not Used: Vishal Mall, Luke Snelgrove.