MALVERN Town suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Alvechurch in the final of the WFA Senior Urn, held at Evesham on Friday night.

ALVECHURCH 3, MALVERN TOWN 2

Town, who were without the injured Craig Williams, Phil Preedy and leading scorer Dean Roberts, took a while to settle and went behind in the 14th minute when keeper Adam Moss miscued a clearance that presented Alvechurch with the simplest of chances.

But following the goal, Malvern began to play with the style accustomed to the West Midlands League Premier Division champions, and Lee Hooper and Des Cox went close to equalising. Scot Morris did just that when he scooped his shot over the Alvechurch keeper in the 30th minute.

Controversy was to follow just eight minutes later when an Alvechurch player handled in the Malvern penalty area, only for the ball to rebound against Dave Cannon's hand, which the referee considered worthy of a penalty in the MFA side's favour.

The spot kick was duly tucked away, but further controversy was to follow, when Town were denied a penalty themselves when the ball was palmed out of the box with both hands by an Alvechurch defender and minutes later Morris was unlucky to see a header come back off the post.

The second half saw Town very much in the ascendancy, only for a brilliant strike from 25 yards to secur Alvechurch a two-goal cushion. Ten minutes later, in the 59th minute, an Alvechurch player was dismissed following an incident with Andy Chalmers.

Malvern then had penalty appeals again turned down after Lee Hooper and Morris were challenged in the area, but Gary Smith reduced the arrears when he brilliantly headed home a Chalmers' cross with 15 minutes still to play.

But despite continued pressure Town could not find that elusive equalising goal as Alvechurch held on to lift the trophy.

TOWN Reserves have now completed their season and last Saturday drew 1-1 at Birmingham-based Bustlehome in the Express and Star West Midlands League Divison One (South).

Dale Humphries was the Malvern scorer and goalkeeper Peter Nightingale maked a superb double save near the end of the game to keep a point for the Town.

The Reserves then picked up an excellent three points following a 2-1 win at Bewdley on Tuesday.

Anthony Smith played a superb ball through for Ed Lyons to blast home and then Olly Endacott put Town 2-0 up.

Bewdley hit back in the second half with Chris Hoff scoring with a volley and it took a late goal-line clearance by Simon Baker to hold on to the points.

Tuesday's result means that Town Reserves have finished in a top half position and therefore qualify for the new non-regionalised West Midlands First Division for next season.