MALVERN Town are still aiming for a top six slot and collected three valuable Midland Alliance points on Saturday from their visit to relegation battlers Studley FC.

STUDLEY FC 1, MALVERN TOWN 2

Studley were first on the attack and Paul Wyatt, in the Town goal, did well to take a cross into the box by Mark Neath high above his head.

In the ninth minute, a corner by Kieron Cross was headed onto the bar by Neath for the home side and at the other end, Duncan Preedy saw his goalbound shot well-taken by keeper Craig Johnson.

Malvern pressed their hosts and on 24 minutes took a deserved lead when Simon Judge played a superb ball through the Studley defence for Richard Tomkins to take in his stride. His clinical finish from 20 yards gave Johnson no chance.

The remainder of the half belonged to Malvern and they kept the ball well with crisp, accurate passing to keep the home defence at full-stretch. At half time the scoreline remained 0-1.

The second period saw Town continue where they left off and on 47 minutes Studley's keeper Johnson brilliantly tipped an inswinging corner by Tomkins over the bar under pressure from Simon Judge. From the resultant corner, Nathan Jukes picked out Dean Roberts but his powerful header just went the wrong side of the crossbar.

Play switched from end to end but on 74 minute sStudley equalised when a quick free-kick by Town's Ian Stevenson broke down as Kieron Cross picked the ball up in his own half.

He made ground down the Town's right before unleashing a terrific shot on goal, where Wyatt did superbly well to parry but ex-Tipton, Evesham and Bromsgrove striker Ravi Sangha was on hand to head home the loose ball.

Their joy was short-lived because four minutes later Stevenson made amends for his mistake. He latched onto a ball over the home defence by Town skipper Craig Williams to volley a superb shot over the advancing keeper Johnson into the roof of the net.

This deflated the home side and Malvern had little difficulty in holding out until the final whistle.