TIVIDALE 2,

MALVERN TOWN 2

MALVERN Town's visit to The Beeches, the home of Tividale, on Saturday for a Banks's Premier League encounter was a game of mixed fortunes.

The first half belonged to Malvern as they took the game to their hosts and after a couple of near misses took a deserved 21st minute lead when a superb in-swinging corner to the far post by Luke Chadwick was powerfully headed home by newcomer Adam Ward.

Malvern continued to dominate and on 26 minutes a high swirling ball into the box by Steve Walker had home keeper, Andy Crannage, in all sorts of trouble but luck was on his side when the ball struck the outside of the post.

Tividale came more into the game for the latter part of the half and Wayne Aston should have done better when a ball from the right was drilled into the box by Jamie Price and, with the goal at his mercy, completely mis-directed his shot the wrong side of the post.

The second period was totally different for the first with Tividale going straight on the attack and within four minutes of the restart drew level, a long piercing ball into the visitor's box by Jason Downing was helped on by Richard McNancy over the head of Ross Sanders in to an empty net.

Tividale continued to press and the long ball tactics were causing Malvern severe problems. In the 53rd minute it was now surprise when Luke Reynolds put the home side in front when, from a long ball in from the Town's right by McNancy, he rose to head over Sanders into the roof of the net.

This shook the Town into action and on 70 minutes should have equalised when a corner by Walker was firmly headed goalward by Dene Whittal-Williams but keeper Crannage was perfectly placed to gather.

Malvern continued to go forward and with seven minutes of normal time remaining got back on level terms when a long throw in by Chadwick wasn't cleared by the home defence and Dene Whittal-Williams was first to react to sweep the ball home via the post.

With time running out a last ditch effort by Adam Ward was superbly plucked out of the air by Crannage to deny him glory.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Malvern travel to high flying Bandon for a Banks's Premier League game. Kick off 3pm.

Luke Chadwick is serving a four week suspension but Joe Maidment and Rob Bastock return.

Squad: Sanders, Bastock, Lowe, Cotterill, Walker, Clayton, Ward, Wade (J), Ashby, Shepherd, Wade (D), Whittal-Williams, Maidment, Williams, Dowling and Cannon.