MALVERN reserves travelled to North Birmingham to play Riverway, a side just above them in the West Midlands division one table.

RIVERWAY 2, MALVERN TOWN RES 4

The game started badly for Malvern when Mike Oakes was barged off the ball and at the same time adjudged to have handled in the 18-yard box. Adam McMahon duly dispatched the resultant penalty.

A few minutes later, Marion Halcak won a big tackle in the middle of the pitch and played the ball through to Danny James, who blasted past Peter Atkins to draw the sides level.

Town took the lead on the half-hour when James turned provider, slipping the ball through for Ed Lyons in full flight and although the winger scuffed his shot, it still found the back of the net.

Marion Halcak then set up both Dines and Mark Goodman but both were denied by good goalkeeping. Riverway's front two were both quality strikers and had a couple of chances to level matters except for good defence by Malvern, where Aaron Murphy excelled. Just before the break, Mike Oakes had a good run up the left-wing and delivered a superb cross to James, whose shot just missed the left upright.

Ten minutes into the second-half saw Ollie Endacott race down the left-wing and cross for Goodman, who hammered home from just inside the box. Within a minute of the restart, Goodman was set-up again and whilst missing with his head, hit the back of the net as the ball went in off his shoulder.

Riverway had the last word when following a big mix-up in Malvern's defence, Steve King cracked the ball through a melee of players.

On the previous Tuesday, Town Reserves travelled to Cresswell Wanderers and fought hard for a 1-1 draw.

Mark Goodman was the Town scorer after good play from Marion Halcak and Ollie Endacott.

Town Reserves are sponsored by Malvern Instruments and Laser Civil Engineering.