MARK Shepherd lived up to the name as he protected his Malvern Town flock with a gem of an FA Cup goal last night.

Town earned a precious £2,250 and booked a mouth-watering second qualifying round home tie with Histon after defeating Willenhall Town 1-0.

In a hard-fought replay that could have gone either way, Shepherd produced the decisive finish on 77 minutes.

The experienced striker has struck up a superb attacking partnership with fellow ex-Worcester City ace Mark Owen at Malvern.

Their goals have lit up the Midland Alliance campaign to ensure the Langland Stadium side set the pace early on -- and now they have Nationwide South high-fliers Histon in their sights.

Former Hereford United winger Phil Preedy provided the chance for Shepherd after latching onto a sloppy mis-placed pass from the Southern League Division One West visitors.

And Malvern's hero on the night stormed in to slide a predatory 12-yard strike past Danny Tipton into the bottom corner.

The tackles flew in during a blood-and-thunder cup tie but the competitive central midfield duo of Darren Bullock and Luke Whittington ensured the hosts were not over-awed, in fact anything but.

Malvern had the better of the opportunities inside the first half-hour with Tipton holding Duncan Preedy's near-post drive and then turning away an Owen effort.

Owen, showing the awareness which made him a hit at City, was then only denied by a superb block from Stourport Swifts old boy John Newall.

A Peter Roberts slip let in Willenhall midfielder Craig Holland on 31 minutes but 'keeper Craig Humphries, signed from Ledbury in the summer, saved superbly.

The impressive Humphries made two important stops in the second-half from lively wide man Nicky Campbell and Holland again.

But, moments after Bullock had unleashed a long-range rocket just over the bar, Shepherd swooped for a valuable winner to book a date with Histon on September 24.

As is customary, the higher-ranked side did have a chance to level, despite dogged defending from Neil Hunt's men, but unmarked substitute John Quilt headed wide two minutes from time.

MALVERN: Humphries; Chalmers, Roberts, Burrow, Clayton; D Preedy (Tomkins 64), Bullock, Whittington, P Preedy (Halion 86); Owen, Shepherd. Subs not used: Heaney, Wyatt.

ATTENDANCE: 139.