Tenbury United 2 Malvern Rangers 1

TENBURY may not have had the best of luck during some of their West Midlands League Division 1 games this season, but they certainly made up for it at Palmer's Meadow on Saturday.

Although they played second fiddle for much of the game and had their backs-to-the-wall in the final stages after having a player sent off, they came back from a goal down at the break to avenge an earlier 6-1 defeat at Malvern.

The fortuitous three points, their second win inside a week, moves them well clear of the bottom two for the first time this campaign.

After looking good for the first 15 minutes, Tenbury spent the rest of the half defending as Malvern took the game by the scruff of the neck. Fortunately for the home side they only converted one out of a string of chances. George Pearson missed the home side's best chance.

They responded to a half time roasting in the best possible manner, scoring twice in the first ten minutes to push their noses in front. Johnny Welsh met a corner at the far post and nodded in the equaliser, and then Aaron Morris converted from the penalty spot after Gavin Morris had been brought down inside the area.

Malvern fought back to pound the Tenbury goal, striking the woodwork on a number of occasions during the game, and seemed to be heading for an equaliser when Simon Holden conceded a penalty and also received his marching orders for an offence inside the area.

Craig Kurkus capped a good game by saving the penalty. The under-manned defence somehow held on, and when the Rangers threatened to grab a point at the death, they booted the ball to safety off the line.

This week Tenbury travel to Parkfield.