MALVERN Town progressed the third round of the FA Vase after a great comeback secured a 4-3 victory in extra time over visiting Coventry Sphinx.

MALVERN TOWN 4, COVENTRY SPHINX 3 (AET)

Dean Roberts grabbed the winner against their Midland Combination opponents which was deserved, but at times looked elusive.

In the fifth minute a Darren Bullock free kick was back-heeled by Dave Cannon but went just wide. A minute later Malvern were a goal down when the ball was slipped through to Paul Woods, who slotted it home.

Worse was to come, two minutes later Chris Harris headed home after the ball had been played up the right. Malvern's defence was still at sixes and sevens four minutes later when the ball was played into the area and Paul Wyatt made a point-blank save from Paul John to stop Coventry going three up.

Malvern clawed a goal back on 14 minutes, when following good work by Andy Chalmers, Phil Preedy threaded his way past two defenders before lifting the ball over the keeper.

In the 34th minute a throw-in was knocked on to Duncan Preedy, who shot just over the bar, but a minute later Paul Wyatt was called upon to make another fine save from Harris.

In the 37th minute a good ball by Dean Roberts found Duncan Preedy but his shot was well saved by keeper Ian Brooks.

In the 42nd minute, following good approach work, the ball was kicked out for a Malvern corner. The kick was cleared to Garry Smith on the edge of the area but his powerful shot rattled the crossbar.

Malvern started the second period brightly and Simon Judge put the ball into the net on 49 minutes only to see it ruled offside. However, two minutes later following work by both Preedys down the right the ball came into the area and was turned into his own net by defender Terry Ward.

The game was end to end and Wyatt made another good save in the 55th minute.

In the 70th minute a curling corner into the area just eluded Dean Roberts and two minutes later Wyatt pulled off a brilliant double save to deny the visitors again.

In the 83rd minute, Darren Bullock was sent off for a second yellow card offence. From the resulting free kick the ball was scrambled home by Coventry's Paul Gibbons with the assistant flagging for an infringement that wasn't given.

Four minutes later the ball was played into the penalty area where a Coventry player handled the ball and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Nathan Jukes duly put the penalty away to take the game into extra time.

The first period of extra time was very tight but three minutes into the second period the ball was played into the area and Dean Roberts drove home to give Malvern the lead for the first time in the game.

Town then managed to retain the ball for most of the final ten minutes and secure their place in the third round draw.