RANGERS travelled to Hagley to play Midland Combination Division Two side West Hagley A to be confronted with facilities both on and off the pitch which were surely not conducive to those of this status of a league.

WEST HAGLEY A 0, MALVERN RANGERS 2

This having been overcome, Rangers quietly took a grip on the proceedings but were unable to turn their territorial advantage into goals in this WFA Junior Cup second round tie.

After 25 minutes Rangers had the ball in the back of the net when Stuart Harvey passed to Rob Perrins to put the ball into the corner but this effort was disallowed for offside.

Not to be denied just seven minutes later and Rangers did take a deserved lead. Attacking down their right Marc Kitchener played the ball into the path of Simon Rea who switched the play to the left where Chris Davis rifled home a first time stunning left foot shot.

Two minutes later and it was 2-0. Rob Perrins released Chris Davis on the left and his long range effort struck the far post, Rob Perrins had continued his run and he unceremoniously cracked the ball home.

At this stage Rangers were pretty well in command and in the opening 15 minutes of the second half the result should have been well and truly out of reach of the home side but a catalogue of misses kept the score line at 2-0.

Two minutes after resumption Rob Perrins was clear one on one with the keeper but only to hit the ball straight into the keeper's hands. Two minutes later Chris Davis was through but instead of taking the ball closer to goal he shot straight away and unfortunately it ended up closer to the corner flag than the goal!

After 13 minutes Stuart Harvey headed over the crossbar and one minute later Rob Perrins shot wide of the post from a Simon Rea pass.

The home side's downfall was completed in the final five minutes when they had two players sent off in separate incidents.

Firstly the right back received a second yellow card for a bad challenge on Cyril Dowling and three minutes from the end Cyril Dowling was in on the keeper, side stepped past him until he was crudely fouled just outside the area and the keeper was immediately sent off.

From the resultant free kick the ball was partially cleared to the edge of the box where Craig Penney fired marginally over the crossbar.

Man of the match Mark Owen.

Tomorrow (Saturday), Rangers, sponsored by Willie Thornes Snooker Club entertain another Midland Combination side Droit-wich Spa in the quarter final of the Worcester Nursing Junior Cup, kick off 1.45pm. Players to meet at the ground at 12.30pm.

On the following Wednesday, (November 7) Rangers travel to Express & Star West Midland League Premier Division side Lye Town for a Smedley Crooke Cup fixture, kick off 7.45pm, players to meet prompt at Brooklyn Motors 5.45pm, Swan Whittington 6pm.