IT was third time unlucky for Malvern Town as their quest to land three cups ended in a penalty shoot-out heartbreak last night.

In a dramatic West Midlands League Cup final at Ludlow, Town drew 4-4 with Brierley and Hagley after extra time only to lose 6-4 on penalties.

The league champions, who had previously been beaten in the Worcester Royal Infirmary and Worcestershire FA Senior Urn finals, were constantly denied by the brilliance of Phil Walters in the Brierley goal.

But a Nathan Jukes penalty in the 62nd minute looked to be enough to put Town's name on the cup.

However it wasn't to be, as a helter-skelter finale produced a script straight out of Roy of the Rovers.

With eight minutes of normal time remaining, Brierley equalised with a brilliant strike from the right hand side of the Town penalty area, but straight away Lee Hooper broke clear of their defence and fired an unstoppable shot past Walters.

Town passed up opportunities to increase their lead and paid a heavy price with just 16 seconds of normal time left on referee Neil Radford's watch, when a corner was only half cleared to the edge of the box and for the second time an empathic strike gave Dave Alden no chance in the Malvern goal.

Town failed to find any rhythm in extra time and went behind with a goal from close range in the 99th minute.

Things got worse for Malvern when their opponents broke to secure a 4-2 lead with 10 minutes of extra time remaining.

But more drama was to follow as Adam Baldwin brilliantly volleyed home with three minutes left on the clock. Almost from the restart Des Cox set up Hooper who beat Walters from close range to send the tie into penalties.

Alden got things off to a great start for Malvern when he saved the first of the spot kicks.

The normally lethal Jukes was first up for Town, but Walters produced an outstanding save.

The next two kicks for either side were converted, Rik Halion and Cox scoring for Town. But then Alden saved again, so if Hooper converted Town's fifth attempt they would lift the trophy, but it wasn't to be as Walters again denied Town.

Adam Baldwin converted Town's sixth strike, but Hagley converted once more and it was agony for Nathan Owen as Walters dived to his left to save the midfielder's effort and give his side the trophy.

After the game Town skipper Craig Williams was presented with the Premier Division trophy and general manager Richard Anson said: "This has been a remarkable season and I think things just caught up with us in the end.

"Every game this season has been like a cup final as we led the league over the entire season.

"In many respects it was a bit like winning a marathon and then being asked to run another five miles, so to some degree we were victims of our own success.

"But it must been a terrific game for the spectators, and I am especially pleased for Brierley and Hagley's Tony Gore who keeps his club going almost single handedly.

"For us though a whole new world awaits and we will soon shrug the cup finals off as we start to prepare for a new life in the Midland Alliance."