MALVERN Athletic were so disappointing in this Midland Combination Division Two League encounter with local rivals County Sports Reserves that it did not look the same team as the week before when they defeated Barnt Green Spartak.

MALVERN ATHLETIC 2,

COUNTY SPORTS RESERVES 9

The only change to the team was the omission of Cyril Dowling with nasal infection, Nigel Russell coming back into the team and Lee Watts and George Cornes sitting on the bench.

The match started pretty evenly with both sides finding the gale force wind and driving rain hard to contend with. It was the visitors who took the lead after 14 minutes, Fassnidge leaving Nigel Russell just outside the box and firing home over the advancing Preece.

It was ten minutes later that the County Sports side caught the home defence again and netted their second. Malvern hit back with a well taken goal from Simon Brookes after some indecisive play in the County Sport defence.

Athletic were then dealt a blow when skipper Marc Lines was helped from the pitch with a bruised knee and Lee Watts came on to replace him at centre back. Malvern Athletic then drew level just before half time when Hayden Jordan found the back of the net with a close range effort. Half time 2-2.

As the week before both sides looked to take the initiative and both went close in the opening ten minutes. But it was County Sports who came out on top with a third and then a fourth in two minutes from Darren Tafft, this just saw malvern Athletic collapse and the rest of the half County Sports went through their opponents like a knife through butter scoring five more times before the final whistle Darren Tafft from County Sports netting five times.

Team: Preece (Cornes 78), Russell, Lines (Watts 37), Llewellyn, Richard Brookes, Hall, Langfield, Penney, Allen, Simon Brookes, Jordan.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Malvern Athletic are at home again when they will entertain Earlswood Town in a Midland Combination Division Two League match, kick off 2pm at Victoria park.

Squad: Cornes, Starkey, Russell, R Brookes, Lines, Llewellyn, Langfield, Hall, Allen, S Brookes, Penney, Jordan, Dowling, Watts.