BISHOPS Frome survived a searching examination at the hands of Talbot Head on Sunday to take their place at the head of the Soccer Site Malvern League division one.

As Oak Allstars have already found out, Talbot Head specialise in making life difficult for the high-fliers.

Home side Talbot Head are the only team to have beaten Bishops Frome for over a year and only a last-minute goal made the visitors secure at 4-2.

With the previous defeat in their memory, Bishops Frome started well. It took only two minutes for them to grab the lead when a well-placed free- kick from Wayne Tizzard found Jason Westmacott on the edge of the area and he volleyed home.

Bishops Frome had the chance to increase their lead in the 10th minute when they were awarded a penalty but Jason Westmacott blazed over the bar.

He atoned for the miss when he ran onto a fine through-ball from Wayne Tizzard before clinically slotting home in the 15th minute.

In the 18th minute it became 3-0 as Westmacott completed a hat-trick on his first game for 10 weeks, after suffering an injury at work. This time it was Darren Gwynne who provided the through-ball for him to net.

Bishops Frome were well on top and it was a combination of good goalkeeping by Talbot's Nick Rogers, who made several fine saves, a couple of goal-line clearances by Dave Martin and David Holmes, plus some poor finishing which kept the score as it was.

Westmacott also crashed the ball against the bar before being substituted in the 60th minute.

It seemed an easy victory for the visitors until the 75th minute, when Andy Rogers pulled a goal back when he headed home a David Holmes' free-kick.

Bishops Frome continued to spurn chances and suddenly came under pressure, as again it was Andy Rogers who applied the finishing touch to an Adam Webb pass - 3-2 with just five minutes remaining.

With Bishops Frome looking nervous, Talbot Head pushed forward but it was the visitors who made the game safe at the last. Nick Rogers made a brave save at the feet of an onrushing forward only to see the ball loop up into the air and fall to Carl Long, who made no mistake.

In the only other league game of the day, All Stars Misfits entertained Ganglands in division two, winning 3-1 courtesy of goals from Chris Goodrum and Stuart Crowe, who netted twice after moving up front from defence for the last 20 minutes. The visitors' reply came from Gordon Mansell.