MALVERN Town Reserves could consider themselves a little unlucky to lose out to Bewdley by a three-goal margin in Wednesday night's WFA Saturday Junior Cup final played at St George's Lane.

BEWDLEY TOWN 3, MALVERN TOWN RESERVES 0

On the balance of play, Bewdley's greater experience and physical presence was sufficient to see them through to a success that on the overall balance of play they deserved.

The hero for Bewdley was Keith Elliot who bagged a hat-trick, with first of his goals coming in the 11th minute when he fired a rebound off the post past Dave Alden in the Malvern goal. Malvern's appeals for an earlier handball were waved away by the referee.

During the remainder of the half there was little else in the way of clear cut chances for either side, although Malvern's Barry Hughes and his strike partner Olly Endacott both went close.

The second period saw Malvern come far more into the picture and youth team player Endacott was a constant thorn in the side of the Bewdley defence.

But with defences on top and Jack Shipman, another of Malvern's rich crop of young talent, showing up well in the middle of the defence, chances remained at a premium for both sides, although the outcome of the final seemed to hinge on one pivotal period of play around the hour mark.

A fairly innocuous ball was played into the Bewdley area, but the Bewdley keeper hesitated which allowed Hughes sufficient time to knock the ball beyond him and with goal at his mercy Hughes either slipped or was pulled back by the goalkeeper.

As Town's penalty appeals were waved aside, Bewdley broke and Elliot finished a sweeping move convincingly to all but secure his side the trophy.

In the game's closing moments Elliot added a third which was a harsh reflection on the young Malvern sides efforts.