MALVERN Town progressed to the second round of the WFA Senior Urn, following a nailbiting finish at the Hereford Leisure Centre on Monday night.

PEGASUS 2, MALVERN TOWN 2 (aet)

Malvern won 5-4 on penalties

With Lee Hooper having missed the first of Town's five penalties, Dean Roberts, Des Cox, Steve Walker and Craig Williams all successfully converted, but unfortunately Pegasus had converted their first four and only needed to be successful with the fifth to secure their place in the next round.

Fortunately for Town the kick was blazed wide, and when Darren Wade struck home Town's sixth spot kick, the pressure was then on the home side to convert, but Town keeper Dave Alden dived comfortably to his right to push the ball away to earn his side a deserved victory.

However, penalties should never have been needed in a game that Town again dominated for long periods, but inexplicably found themselves 2-0 down at half time. Prior to Pegasus taking the lead Town had spurned enough chances to have wrapped the game up, but instead were left ruing those misses during the interval.

But the second half saw Town come out with renewed vigour and when Dean Roberts' solo effort reduced the deficit after an hour, Town laid siege on the Pegasus goal and the inevitable equaliser came through Des Cox after 71 minutes.

Five minutes later Town had appeals for a penalty waved away, when Cox was upended, when setting himself for a header from point blank range.

After 80 minutes Lee Hooper brilliantly worked an opening, but fired over and virtually on time Darren Wade did likewise.

Extra time followed a similar pattern with Dave Alden in the Malvern goal a virtual spectator, but his side just could not find the breakthrough as Roberts squandered a one on one and Steve Walker was twice denied by brilliant saves by the Pegasus goalkeeper.

But then came the spot kicks and there could have been few in the ground who would have denied Malvern their right to what was in the end a painstaking, but deserved, victory.