AFTER a good win the previous Thursday away against County Sports Reserves 1-2 Malvern Athletic found themselves very short of players.

MALVERN ATHLETIC 0, EARLSWOOD TOWN 2

Injured top scorer Cyril Dowling and partner in attack Richard Bird were unavailable, defender Mark Owen was still injured and midfielder Don Mackenzie was out with a knee wound sustained on Thursday evening. Manager Phil Llewellyn was forced to play and also sign three new players on before the match kicked off, the club just fielding 11 players on to the park.

Earlswood looked under pressure for the first ten minutes with new signing Adrian Roper fitting in well in midfield and the other new signing Steve White playing wide on the left also showing some promise.

However Malvern fell behind in the 25th minute when the Earlswood left back ran through from deep and played a good one two before firing home from just inside the box past the stranded Dave Starkey in the Malvern Athletic goal.

Phil Llewellyn went close for the home side with a good header as did the third new signing Dean Drinkwater who saw two of his efforts well saved by the keeper.

With a spirited team talk at half time Athletic came out looking to get back into the game but found themselves 2-0 down just after 33 seconds when a speculative back pass header from distance set up an easy chance for striker Corbett.

Malvern Athletic looked a tired side for the rest of the half and Earlswood were no better but they had the advantage of the two goal buffer and really should have increased their lead, denied by two good saves from Dave Starkey.

After the game Manager Phil Llewellyn praised the new signings for their hard work in a completely new set up and also made special thanks to keeper Dave Starkey who was playing his last game for the season.

"Dave really only signed for cover this season but has played over 20 matches for us and has been a good source of encouragement for the team and for his 37 years has been outstanding in goals".

KENILWORTH WARDENS 2, MALVERN ATHLETIC 1

MALVERN Athletic lost out to a youthful Kenilworth Wardens side on Monday evening and with that defeat look as if they will finish in the relegation zone of the Midland Combination Division Two.

The game was played on a bumpy soft pitch with plenty of grass and it was Malvern who made the early running with Richard Bird catching the home keeper out with a long range shot in the first minute that took a wicked bounce over the keeper and then crashed off the cross bar back into his arms.

Kenilworth took the lead after 13 minutes when the long ball was not cleared and Gary Wall slipped the ball home past Andrew Cornes in Athletics' goal taking a slight deflection off Matt Ilsley making his debut for the Athletic side.

The visitors continued to press forward and the next 15 minutes saw them take control of the game and were rewarded with a well taken equaliser from Hayden Jordan bending an 18 yard shot around the keeper and in off the upright.

The second half belonged to the home side with Malvern defending deep into their own half. Cornes made three outstanding saves to keep his team in the match and Richard Bird found himself with a one on one with the keeper but his attempted lob over the keeper was parried.

Kenilworth scored the all important winner in the 85th minute through sub Neale Perry.