A pulsating game at the Langland Stadium on Tuesday night saw ten-man Malvern Town come back from 1-3 down to earn their second successive draw in the new Banks Brewery League Premier Division season.

MALVERN TOWN 3, LYE TOWN 3

It was the visitors who first went ahead when Gary Abercrombie attempted an ambitious cross field pass, that was easily intercepted and ultimately punished by the impressive Emerson, as he rounded Adam Moss to give the visitors the lead.

But 'Town responded well and quickly equalised when Sean Cotterill's header came back off the post and fell to Joe Maidment who made no mistake from the edge of the six yard box.

Malvern's relief though was short lived when Lye, always dangerous on the break, grabbed a second goal on 20 minutes.

Town continued to struggle to gain any composure, but despite this always looked likely to score and came close when Maidment fired wide of an empty goal and Simon Judge's header came back off the underside of the bar.

The second half saw Malvern up the pace and Shepherd almost equalised when his fiercely hit shot was fortuitously saved by the visiting 'keeper. But it was Lye who extended their lead in the 55th minute, as they again punished Town on the break.

However, Cotterill reduced the arrears when, after a goalmouth scramble in the 68th minute, he smashed the ball home.

Shortly after this Town's Darren Wade was dismissed for an extremely innocuous push on a Lye player, but this seemed to inspire Town as they went into their best spell of the game.

Judge fired wide when well placed and Cotterill headed against the crossbar. Moments later the inspirational Cotterill appeared to have judged Abercrombie's free kick beautifully, only for his headed effort to be ruled out for offside.

Malvern though, with a decent crowd behind them, continued to push and the deserved equaliser came when the visiting 'keeper lost possession and in the ensuing scramble Andy Shepherd drove the ball home to earn Town an 80th minute equaliser.

Frankly, this was the least Town deserved, but Manager Joey Rawle is entitled to ask as to why his team only really responded when all seemed lost.

Town: Moss, Higgins, Cotterill, Damore(Slade), Bastock(Walker), D.Wade, Maidment, Abercrombie, Thomas, Judge, Shepherd. Sub not used: Brooks.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Town have an attractive looking home game against Darlaston Town (3pm).

On Bank Holiday Monday Town visit Westfields in a Banks Brewery League Premier Division derby (3pm).