MALVERN Town slipped to a shock 4-3 defeat at home to Darlaston last night in Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division on Tuesday night at Langland Stadium.

MALVERN TOWN 3, DARLASTON TOWN 4

The result was all the more surprising as Wes Joyce's 70th minute strike had given Town a 3-1 lead.

Although the visitors did open the Town defence up on more than one occasion, it was Malvern who created an endless stream of chances, but they were denied by a combination of good goalkeeping, good defending and poor finishing.

Dean Roberts almost opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute, but the visiting 'keeper produced an excellent save, and moments later Neil Mogford was denied by a brilliant goal line clearance.

But It was Joyce, in a rich vein of form at present, who made the inevitable breakthrough when he fired home from the edge of the box in the 19th minute.

Darlaston had the ball in the net in the 22nd minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside and shortly after missed a gilt-edged opportunity, when it was perhaps easier to score than miss.

But an equaliser arrived in the 43rd minute, when a visiting forward took advantage of some hesitation between 'keeper Dave Alden and defender Dave Damore, to nip in and level the scores.

The second period really saw Malvern gain the upper hand, and Phil Slade should have put his side in front in the 50th minute when he scooped the ball over the bar from almost point blank range.

But still Town continued to open up the Darlaston defence, and it was only a question of when and not if they scored a second goal.

Inevitably the goal came in the 60th minute and equally inevitably Joyce was involved. The young striker worked hard to retrieve the ball from deep, fed Ian Stevenson, who duly set up Mogford, who finished well.

Town were now in the ascendancy and with Joyce and Roberts causing Darlaston all sorts of problems, Town threatened to run riot in the final 25 minutes.

Another goal soon arrived when, in the 70th minute, Joyce sprang the offside trap and finished well, to put Town firmly in the driving seat or, apparently so.

In the 74th minute, the Malvern defence were caught napping and as Dave Alden rushed out of his goal in an attempt to close down a one on one situation, the Town keeper was relieved to see the Darlaston player's shot go high over the bar, but Alden's momentum saw him follow through on the visiting player and a penalty was awarded and duly dispatched.

For unfathomable reasons Town now fell apart, and were stunned when Darlaston again cut through the Malvern defence with ridiculous ease to register an 83rd minute equaliser.

Controversy was to follow in the 87th minute, when a Darlaston player appeared to play the ball out of the penalty area with his hand but, despite vigourous appeals the spot kick was not awarded.

To rub salt into an ever opening wound, Darlaston broke and unlocked the Town defence yet again with the simplest of moves, to register a shock victory.

Malvern Town host Dudley Town tomorrow (Saturday) in the league (2.45) and on Wednesday (February 6) visit Wellington in the league cup (7.45).