NEW Malvern Town manager Joe Rawle has set his sights on keeping the club in the British Gas Business League.

Rawle has been named as Paul Molloy's successor at the Langland Stadium after being in caretaker charge since the end of December.

It is Rawle's second stint as boss following four seasons at the helm in the 1990s during the club's West Midlands League days.

He was also second in command when Neil Hunt oversaw promotion to the Midland Alliance.

Rawle, who will be assisted by Martin Day while fellow caretaker Les Jones returns to lead the reserves, wants Malvern to maintain their current league status.

With only one team to be relegated, the club sit second-from-bottom and six points ahead of Berkhamsted Town but have played two more games.

Rawle, whose team host Bromyard Town in a re-arranged Worcester Infirmary Cup first round tie tonight (7.45), said: "The main priority is to still be in the Southern League and then we can look at pre-season and start afresh. I always like a challenge and it's a good test.

"We have got quite a tough task ahead of us to stay up but hopefully we can get one or two players in.

"I think we are a club punching above our weight at the moment. We are trying to hang in there on a small budget. We need to stay ahead of Berkhamsted all the time."

Chairman Paul Pallett said: "We do need some stability again now. These guys are local to the club and they have got Malvern at heart."

Centre-halves Andrew Widdowson (thigh) and Nick Clayton (knee) are doubts tonight, while teenage midfielder Phil Harris has joined Chasetown.