MALVERN TOWN 1, BEDWORTH UNITED 1

MALVERN Town came from a goal down to take a point in a hard fought battle between two young sides in this British Gas Business Division One Midlands game at Langland Stadium.

Malvern started very brightly and in the second minute Bryan Craven raced down the left wing and crossed just wide wide of the far post. In the 15th minute, the same player headed just wide after a free-kick from Gary Walker found Joel Skyers, who put over a good cross.

Two minutes later Joel Skyers knocked the ball to Walker, who shot just wide and then Skyers crossed the ball into the area but the keeper, Andrew Kemp, gathered it as Daniel Harding-Hall was bearing down on goal.

Bedworth scored against the run of play in the 25th minute. They earned a corner which was cleared off the line and the ball ricocheted about three times bringing out a good save from Lewis Skyers on the Malvern line before Gilbert Cummins arrived at the back post and headed home.

Malvern continued to attack and in the 37th minute a free-kick taken by Joel Skyers was blasted over by Craven. Brother Lewis had to be alert three minutes later when he finger-tipped a free-kick away from goal and Guy Barnett headed wide.

Malvern equalised in the 44th minute when Harding-Hall ran down the left hand side and fired straight at the keeper which Kemp parried back to him. His second effort was across the goal and found Craven, who tapped home.

The second half started patchily and it was not until the 66th minute when Malvern played the ball into the area and the ball ricocheted but the Bedworth defence held firm but two minutes later a cross by Jamie Hyde was kicked wide by Walker.

Following substitutions by both teams the final ten minutes became very hectic with chances at both ends as the teams tried to secure all the points, although defences were nervous of conceding a killer goal.

Malvern's Walker headed just wide following a corner and two minutes later Bedworth's Cummins headed wide after finding himself unmarked in the box. Bedworth then hit the post and Lee Greenway fed Simon Williams, whose shot needed a wonderful save from Lewis Skyers. The ball went up the other end and man-of-the-match Craven's corner was fired in by Hyde but Kemp finger-tipped it away.