SMETHWICK RANGERS 2, MALVERN TOWN 1

MALVERN'S topsy-turvy league season continued with a disappointing defeat at Smethwick on Saturday.

Although Town were without Mick Lowe, the suspended Luke Chadwick and Andy Shepherd and John Wade's groin injury continued to keep him on the sidelines, Town still did enough to have won the game comfortably.

Things looked good for Malvern as early as the first minute, but Adam Ward's strike from a Paul Ashby cross was ruled out for offside by the linesman.

It was Ashby who then might have given Town the lead in the 15th minute, but despite being clean through the striker delayed his shot sufficiently to allow the home keeper to smother his lukewarm effort.

To compound matters further it was Smethwick who took a 20th minute lead when a home forward outjumped Sean Cotterill to head powerfully home from almost ten yards.

But still it was Town who called the tune with Darren Wade looking the most likely to find a way through but it wasn't to be and Town returned to the dressing room at half time still trailing by a single goal.

Town must have been confident that they still could have gone on to win the game but their hopes took a severe blow in the 50th minute when a half hit shot was allowed to squirm through Ross Sanders' grasp, with barely enough momentum to cross the line.

Malvern now had their work cut out but ironically this heralded their best spell of the game and when Wade's clever header reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute a point at least looked distinctly possible.

However their dominance did not turn to goals and when Sean Cotterill blazed over from six yards and Rob Perrins fired against the legs of a wrong footed keeper, then Town knew it was not going to be their day.

Malvern Town: Sanders, Dugdale (Perrins), Cotterill, Bastock, Walker, D Wade, Ward, Whittal-Williams, Ashby, Clayton, Maidment. Sub not used: Oakley.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Town are at home to Little Drayton in the Banks's League Premier Division, kick off 3pm, and on Wednesday visit Stafford Town in the first leg of the Banks's League Cup semi-final at 7.45pm.

Also on Saturday the Reserves play Littleton in the final of the Evesham Hospital Cup. This match takes place at Broadway United FC and kicks off at 5pm.

Last Saturday the Reserves lost 2-1 at home to Leominster in the Banks's Brewery League Division One (South).