MALVERN Town manager Joe Rawle insists his side is capable of competing in British Gas Business Division One Midlands despite still searching for their first win.

The Langland Stadium side have lost three of their first four matches and are joint bottom of the table, along with Woodford United and Rothwell Town, who they visit on Saturday (3pm).

Rawle, however, believes his team have given a good account of themselves in all but one of the matches — the 7-0 defeat at Romulus — and have every reason to be confident heading to a Rothwell side also yet to win.

He said: “We are not a million miles away. Apart from the one game when we got a hammering at Romulus, we have been in contention in the other games.

“Rothwell don’t look to be anything special, hopefully we can go there and get something out of the game. We could do with getting a win under our belts.”

Malvern will be without defenders Wes Joyce and Andy Bullock through lengthy suspensions picked up playing Sunday league football.

Centre-half Joyce, sent off in last Saturday’s FA Cup defeat against Coalville Town, starts a one-month ban, while Bullock is out until November following his misdemeanours.

Youngsters Liam Paddock and Joe McGoran are in line as replacements but Rik Halion and Danny James have both left the club, citing travel commitments.