MALVERN Town and Express & Star League Premier Division title favourites Causeway United fought out an exhilarating 2-2 draw at the Langland Stadium on Saturday.

MALVERN TOWN 2, CAUSEWAY UNITED 2

Town were the quicker of the two sides to settle and although Keith Holmans put the home side in front with a controversial penalty in the 20th minute, it was no more than Malvern deserved.

Causeway though bounced back minutes later with an equally controversial penalty, but for the remainder of the half Town still gave as good as they got and might have been in front at half time had Ian Stevenson's goal bound effort not come back off the foot of the post.

Causeway went ahead through another penalty in the 50th minute, when Holmans was adjudged to have impeded a visiting player in the area, but Town refused to lie down and in the 80th minute Chris Thomas latched on to a through ball and lobbed the Causeway keeper to secure a deserved equaliser.

With just five minutes remaining teenage prodigy Lee Hooper almost won the game for Town, but his goalbound strike deflected off the Causeway keeper's shoulder.