MALVERN Town returned to winning ways in the Express and Star Premier Division on Tuesday night, with a hard earned, but thoroughly deserved, win at Westfields.

WESTFIELDS 0, MALVERN TOWN 1

Not only was it important that Town began to kick start their stuttering opening to the season, but it also enabled them to gain revenge on Westfields, who had defeated Town at Malvern two weeks ago.

Town though were fired up from the start and in the 10th minute Chris Thomas beat Darren Lynch for pace, but the Westfields defender denied Thomas a

goalscoring opportunity by bringing him down on the edge of the area.

Remarkably, Lynch went uncarded despite also giving the referee some colourful advice, the referee however, still awarded the free kick. But Town exacted maximum revenge when Robbie Gore's shot was blocked, but in the ensuing scramble, Adam Ward was on hand to stab the ball home.

With Thomas's pace a constant factor in Town's attacks, the same was player was superbly set up by Walker in the 25th minute, but saw his cross shot come back off the inside of the post.

Town called the tune for the remainder of the half with keeper Dave Alden only really having to deal with crosses and back passes.

Inevitably Westfields up the stakes in the second half, with Mark Hibberd particularly showing up well, but Town soon got to grip with things again and

should have increased their lead when Gore missed a point blank header from an excellent Thomas cross.

Town continued to threaten on the break and when Thomas and Clayton combined in the 30th minute, the latters cross was met by Jason Westmacott, who

headed against the cross bar.

Moments later Westmacott broke free on the right, but this time fired tamely at the home keeper. Again Alden was not seriously troubled in the Malvern goal and Town should have extended their lead again in the final minute, when Shepherd sprung the offside trap, but despite being in the clear and with an unmarked Chris Thomas to his left, the Town striker delayed over his options and allowed the the Westfields keeper to smother his attempts to round him.

This though was the last meaningful action of a game Town thoroughly deserved to win.

Town assistant manager Richard Anson said: "We made it quite clear before the game that our performances up to this point had not been good enough, when you consider the experience and ability we have in the squad.

"It was a night that we had to put the excuse book away, apply ourselves over ninety minutes and function as a team.

"Really then you just have to see how the players respond and to be fair they did everything we could have asked of them, we now have to go out on Saturday against Gornal and follow on from here and start to get some momentum going."

Malvern Town: Alden, Dugdale, Damore, Davies, Clayton, Westmacott, Ward, Walker, Thomas, Shepherd, Gore. Subs not used: Hooper, Mogford, Cotterill.