MALVERN gave one of the best Midland Combination Division Two performances of the season and collected their just reward with this point away at fifth-placed Cadbury Athletic on Monday evening.

CADBURY ATHLETIC 1, MALVERN ATHLETIC 1

Manager Phil Llewellyn had a bigger squad to choose from although Nigel Russell and Hayden Jordan were unavailable, but he also had the added bonus of the selection of Clive Churchill for his first outing for the club having signed as cover from Malvern Rangers and only available for mid week matches. Carl Preece returned in defence as did Julian Langfield in midfield, but Richard Forde retained the captain's armband after a good performance on Saturday.

The match started at a lively pace with both sides surrendering nothing both in terms of ground or physical commitment with some crunching tackles going in, that the referee was quite happy to let carry on.

Cadbury's should have taken the lead in the 27th minute when Anton Barker raced clear on the left but somehow screwed his shot wide of Dave Starkey from six yards out. Cyril Dowling and Don Mackenzie both went close for Malvern Athletic before the home side took the lead in the 38th minute when a cross on the right was missed both by Marc Lines and Carl Preece and Liam O'Brian volleyed the ball home from the edge of the area. Half time 0-1.

The second half saw Malvern Athletic fight back in style and dominated most of the play, with Clive Churchill replacing the injured Richard Brookes on the left side of midfield some good chances were created down that side, with Churchill linking up well with striker Cyril Dowling. His partner Richard Bird was then a little slow to a through ball from Julian Langfield and the keeper just beat him to the ball.

The equaliser came in the 65th minute when good play from Richard Forde and Julian Langfield saw Richard Bird challenge with the keeper and the ball running wide to Cyril Dowling who dispatched the ball into the back of the net from an acute angle for his ninth goal of the season.

Team: Starkey, Lines, Preece (Cornes 70), Owen, Penney, Langfield, Mackenzie, Forde, Simon Brookes (Churchill 46), Dowling, Bird (Kendrick 80).

Malvern face another tough task this Saturday when they travel to take on Leamington in a Midland Combination Division Two league match, kick off 2.45pm.

Leamington who are undefeated in the league at the moment and have crowds of around 450 at their Windmill Lane ground are facing a fixture back log at the moment having played three games in the past six days.

Malvern Athletic will wait on the fitness of central defender Carl Preece and midfielder Richard Brookes but will be without Nigel Russell and Dan Kendrick.

Squad: Starkey, Lines, Penney, Preece, Langfield, Mackenzie, Forde, S Brookes, Owen, Dowling, Bird, Cornes, Llewellyn.