SHAWBURY 1, MALVERN TOWN 1

Town were left kicking themselves after an 89th minute goal gave the home side an equaliser in a Banks Brewery League Premier Division game that Malvern had

controlled throughout.

During the first half Malvern enjoyed the lions share of possession, with their best chances falling to Andy Shepherd, Phil Slade and Raj Sharma, but they were unable to break the deadlock.

Ross Sanders, on the other hand, was rarely threatened in the Malvern goal, neither were the Town back four, which included Pete Sollis making his first full appearance at left back.

The second half saw Malvern gain an even greater grip on the game but although they did not create too many clear cut chances, they got more than enough ball into the box to have expected a better return.

Town might have been awarded a penalty when Nick Clayton looked to have been upended in the penalty area in the 60th minute.

However, the relentless Town pressure had to pay at some point, and a goal came in the 75th minute.

It was substitute Paul Ashby who struck with his first touch. Steve Walker played Ashby in and the striker's pace took him beyond the Shawbury defence, before finishing emphatically.

Shawbury came more into the game after this, although they rarely looked like scoring, but unfortunately for Town a shot that was going yards wide deflected cruelly, to set up a home striker who had the simplest of chances to score from the edge of the six yard box.

There was almost time for Town to regain the lead when Sharma's cross picked out Slade at the far post. Slade brought the ball down superbly, but his point blank shot was blocked on the line by the home keeper.

Town assistant manager Richard Anson said: "We put in a good solid performance and were the better side, but one goal is not enough to win any game and however fortunate their equaliser might have been, at that stage we should have put the game out of their reach."

Malvern Town: Sanders, Dugdale, Cotterill, Damore (Higgins), Sollis, Sharma, Davies, Walker, Clayton, Slade, Shepherd (Ashby), sub (not used), Ward.