MALVERN TOWN 1, KINGTON TOWN 2

MALVERN TOWN entertained last season's league champions and league cup winners Kington Town on Bank Holiday Monday and with four regulars missing through suspension and work commitments gave a good account of themselves although going down 1-2.

The first period was nip and tuck with very few clear cut chances created but slack marking in the Malvern defence allowed Kington to take the lead in the 43rd minute when an inswinging corner by Chris King was firmly headed home by the unmarked Keith Holmans giving Adam Moss in the home goal no chance.

Within two minutes of the second half Malvern drew level when John Wade turned superbly to rifle a low right foot shot into the bottom corner of the net past the diving Dave Alden in the Kington goal.

Malvern stepped up a gear after this and twice in the space of five minutes had glorious chances to take the lead - both times Scott Morris was unlucky - once when he headed over from a Simon Judge cross close in and then chipped the advancing Alden only to see the effort just loop over the bar.

On 81 minutes, however, Kington regained the lead which proved to be the all important goal, a long throw by Griffiths caught the home defence flat footed and Hibbard had the simplest of chances to find the net via the inside of the post.

In the dying minutes Malvern had a great chance to equalise when a superb ball in from Simon Judge found Wade but he toed the ball wide from only two yards out.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Town welcome Walsall Wood to Langland Stadium for a Banks's Premier League game. Kick off 3pm.

Ross Sanders, Dene Whittal-Williams and Phil Slade are suspended but Sean Cotterill should be available after missing Monday's game through work commitments.

Squad: Moss, Higgins, Lowe, Clayton, Cotterill, Walker, Maidment, Brookes, Taft, Judge, Morris, Bastock, Wade (J), and Hutchinson.