MALVERN Town made the long trip to Market Drayton on Saturday and returned with a vital three Banks's Premier Division points thanks to a last ditch Dene Whittal - Williams goal.

LITTLE DRAYTON RANGERS 1, MALVERN TOWN 2

Whittal - Williams, last season's Player Of The Year, has only played a handful of games this season following the taking up of his studies at Preston University, but he is available to Town during the crucial Christmas and New Year period and will not make any more of a dramatic impact than he did on Saturday.

For over an hour of this game Town were good value for John Hayes 28th minute strike, when he powered home a far post header following excellent work by Phil Slade, but in the games closing quarter Malvern had to withstand increasing pressure from a home side who, like Malvern, are in a rich vein of form.

But just when it looked as though Town would hang on, Little Drayton snatched an 88th minute equaliser, when the ball was stabbed home following a frantic goalmouth scramble.

Worse looked to be following for Town when almost from the restart, Drayton broke and were presented with a gilt edged opportunity to win the game, but fortunately for Town, the Drayton striker shot straight into the arms of Ross Sanders.

With the referee looking at his watch and the game well into injury time, the match took another decisive twist.

Nick Clayton broke on the left and his tantalising cross just escaped the grasp of the home keeper and Whittal - Williams stole in to steer his header home, much to the delight of his players, management, and the small band of travelling Town supporters.

Earlier, Town had generally controlled the first half with their back four comfortably coping with the home side's long ball tactics and it was no real surprise when Hayes struck. Prior to this Raj Sharma, Nick Clayton and Joe Maidment all could have scored.

Nothing really changed in the second period, but three substitutions by the home side seemed to give them a better shape and more composure....and set up a thrilling finale.

The victory was Town's seventh in succession and tenth in their last eleven games.

Town: Sanders, Higgins, Cotterill, Damore, Walker, Sharma, Maidment, Hayes (Whittal - Williams), Clayton, Shepherd (Thomas), Slade. Sub: Ward.